2010-11 STJ Men's Basketball Coaches & Staff Bios (PDF Format)

When Steve Lavin named Rico Hines to his specialized Red Storm coaching staff, he not only added one of the top player development professionals in the country, but something much more. Hines, who was Lavin's first recruit as the head coach at UCLA, is a living, breathing example of Lavin's legacy as a coach and mentor and serves witness to the fact that Lavin does not only develop future NBA pros, but prepares his student-athletes for careers beyond playing basketball.

Hines is a 2002 UCLA grad who completed his fourth season as a player/athletic development assistant for the NBA's Golden State Warriors in May. He was first hired by St. John's legend and former Golden State executive Chris Mullin and worked extensively with Warriors' head coach Don Nelson, who recently retired as the NBA's winningest all-time mentor.

"Rico is a talented, natural-born teacher and coach with a relentless work ethic. He is one of the true rising stars in the coaching profession," said Lavin. "His talents in on-court player skill development and his reach as a north-to-south, coast-to-coast recruiter are among the definite benefits he brings to our staff at St. John's."

Ultimate Warrior
In his role with Golden State from 2006-10, Hines, 32, worked closely with players throughout the season to assist in their overall skill development and game preparation. Additionally, Hines was largely involved with the players' off-season training, having worked with several Warriors, particularly the guards, over the last four summers - a list that includes Baron Davis, Stephen Curry, Anthony Morrow and Monta Ellis.

"Rico Hines is a great addition to the St. John's program. He's done an outstanding job developing our younger players and has matured into a great assistant coach," said Nelson, who became the NBA's winningest all-time head coach on April 7, 2010, and retired with 1,335 career victories.

Added Curry, who set the NBA record for most 3-pointers made by a rookie in 2009-10 with 133 and who was the runner-up for the league's 2010 Rookie of the Year award, "Rico Hines is a hard working, dedicated coach. When working out with Rico, he gives you a blueprint to what is going to improve your skill set while making you a more confident and able player. It was a pleasure to work with Rico and I feel that he was instrumental in the success that I experienced during my rookie year."

Golden State reached the 2006 NBA playoffs in Hines' first season, which marked the first appearance for the Warriors since 1994. The squad advanced to the second round, becoming the first No. 8 seed to beat a No. 1 seed in a seven-game series in league history.

Under Hines' tutelage, Monta Ellis was named Most Improved Player in the NBA (2006-07) after improving his scoring average from 6.8 points per game to 16.5 ppg, and Anthony Morrow became the first rookie ever to lead the NBA in three-point field goal shooting, hitting at a .467 clip (2008-09).

In addition to his work with Golden State's players, Hines has worked closely with numerous NBA and collegiate players during the offseason in recent years - including Trevor Ariza, Hakim Warrick, Marcus Williams, Ryan Hollins, Brandon Bass, Glen "Big Baby" Davis, Darren Collison, Antoine Wright and Jeff Pendergraph - coaching and training individuals in preparation for the rigors of an NBA season.

Said Ariza of Hines, "He is phenomenal. He is going to get the best out of you every time you step on the court. Whatever he sees in the young kids, he is going to go out there and make sure they reach their full potential. That's just the type of person he is. When he played, he worked hard, and as a coach, he works even harder."

Storm Bruin'
Hines received a bachelor's degree in history from UCLA in 2002, with a minor in African-American studies. While at UCLA, Hines was a five-year member of the basketball program (redshirt season was 2000-01), serving as team captain for his final three seasons, which included five Bruin NCAA appearances and four trips to the Sweet 16.

A native of Greenville, N.C., Hines prepped at St. John's at Prospect Hall in Frederick, Md., playing under two-time national high school coach of the year Stu Vetter.

Hines currently resides in Long Island City.

The Rico Hines File
Coaching Experience
2003-06         Private Industry, Player Development Coach
2006-10         Golden State Warriors, Assistant Coach
2010-present    St. John's University, Assistant Coach
Playing Experience
	UCLA (1997-2002)
Personal
	Education: UCLA (2002), B.A. in history with a minor in African-American studies
	Date of Birth: Feb. 17, 1978 in Greenville, N.C.