LIVINGSTON, Ala. – University of West Alabama Director of Athletics, E. J. Brophy has announced the hiring of James Wright as Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach effective June 1, 2007.

“J. Wright is a recruiting machine” said UWA Director of Athletics E. J. Brophy. “His vast network of contacts will benefit our program in many ways, and we are excited to have him join the Tiger Family. He and Coach (Eddie) McCarter should provide the one-two punch that elevates our program dramatically in a short period of time.”

A native of Birmingham, Ala., Wright (36) comes to UWA after serving as the coach of the AAU basketball team Rise and Shine from 1993-2004, where he served as President and General Manager. During his AAU coaching career, his teams were consistently ranked in the AAU Top 25 from 1998-2002, and 85 percent of his players moved on to play Division I or Division II basketball, including former Alabama Crimson Tide standout, Maurice (Mo) Williams, and the University of Mississippi’s Justin Reed. Both are currently playing the National Basketball Association.

“I am very excited to have J. as part of the staff,” McCarter said. “He’s a young and enthusiastic coach with a great eye for talent. He knows exactly what we need at UWA to be successful. He communicates very well with young people and I think he will be very successful in this business.”

In addition to his AAU experience, Wright, a 1993 graduate of Jackson State University, has also previously served as Senior Director of the Mo Williams Basketball Camp and the Lindsey Hunter Basketball Camp. Hunter, a current star with the NBA’s Detroit Pistons, is a former JSU teammate of Wright. He has also worked camps for UAB’s Mike Davis.

Wright comes to UWA from Wenonah High School in Birmingham, where he served as assistant men’s basketball coach from 2005-07.