WHEELING, W.Va. (Feb. 5) – Wheeling University Head Men’s Basketball Coach Chris Richardson has announced the addition of former West Virginia University All-American and 2010 NBA Draft pick Da’Sean Butler as an assistant coach Monday morning.
Butler recently wrapped up his career playing professionally overseas. He spent the 2019-20 season with Hapoel Be’er Sheva in the Israeli Basketball Premier League after helping Hapoel Jerusalem win the 2019 Israeli State Cup the season prior.
“I am so appreciative of our administration for their cooperation and support to make this possible,” Richardson said. “Da’Sean will be a great addition not just to our program but to our campus. We are very excited to welcome him to our program. His career as a player in the college and professional ranks speaks for itself. He has all the tools to be an outstanding coach and we look forward to having him on board.”
Butler is best known throughout the state of West Virginia for his time with the Mountaineers from 2007-10. He is the winningest men’s basketball player in WVU history playing on teams with 107 victories. He finished his Mountaineer career third in points scored with 2,095, behind only Jerry West and Hot Rod Hundley.
A second-team All-American selection by the Associated Press and third-team selection by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) in 2010, Butler led WVU to three-straight NCAA appearances, including the 2010 Final Four and 2008 Sweet 16. Butler also directed WVU to an NIT championship in 2007, and the school’s first Big East tournament title in 2010.
A native of Newark, New Jersey, Butler earned First Team All-Big East honors, was named to the NCAA East Region All-Tournament team and selected as the Big East Championship Most Outstanding Player in 2010. The 2010 winner of the Lowe’s Senior CLASS award, Butler set WVU records in double-figure scoring games (108), career minutes played (4,491) and career games played (146).
He was selected in the second round of the 2010 NBA Draft by the Miami Heat. Butler was a graduate assistant on the WVU men’s basketball staff in 2012-13. Since 2013, he had played professional basketball in Europe and Asia.
“A coach is only as good as the people around him, and I’m so excited about our staff,” Richardson added. “Nathan Hendel and Evan Morrissey have done a phenomenal job from day one and I know Da’Sean will fit right in with them.”
Butler is the founder of the Give a Hoop Foundation, which is dedicated to making a difference in the lives of children in the Morgantown community with programs and activities that are designed to benefit less fortunate children.
Butler graduated from WVU in 2010, with a bachelor’s degree in multidisciplinary studies. He is pursuing a master’s degree from WVU in athletic coaching education.
He is married to Megan Butler and they have three children, Draelyn, Donovan and Melina. He and his family reside in Morgantown.
