My Interview With Legendary College Basketball Coach, Player, Commentator Bucky Waters
Bucky Waters was a scholarship athlete at NC State where he played baseball and basketball and was on a basketball scholarship . From there, Bucky worked as a High School Head Coach, Assistant Coach at the collegiate level followed by head coaching jobs at Duke and West Virginia. Following his coaching career, he went on to cover sports. From the Durham Bulls to the NCAA Tournament. When Bob Costas covered his inaugural nationally televised basketball game, Bucky was his commentary partner. He also found time to be an ambassador for Duke as he played a key role in establishing the Duke Children’s Classic.
Recently, I had the opportunity to interview Bucky Waters about his career, From coaching to covering college basketball games with Billy Packer, father of Mark Packer who is host of ACC PM on ACC Network. Bucky was also doing games for Durham Bulls, who are Triple A Team of Major League Baseball's Tampa Bay Rays, as well as observing Jon Scheyer's rookie season as Duke Head Coach. We also discussed the current state of college athletics. Last years’s freshman turning into sophomores at Duke as well as one and done, NIL (Name, Image , Likeness) and the transfer portal.
Your inaugural stint at Duke was as an Assistant Coach from 1959 - 1965 under Vic Bubas . During your time as an Assistant Head Coach under Duke Head Coach Vic Bubas you witnessed one of the most famous brawls in college basketball. Tell me about it.
There were actually two fights. Back then freshman did not play varsity. I coached the freshman team. We were going to play North Carolina in Siler City, North Carolina. Art Heyman had originally agreed to play for North Carolina. But after all that falling out between Art’s stepdad and UNC Head Coach Frank McGuire, Art came to Duke. I know he was in for a lot of abuse from the UNC contingent after he changed his plans. So rather than let him ride the team bus he rode with me. I took the opportunity to prepare him as we drove. I insisted he just play the game. Do not get drawn into the outside noise. Beat them badly and I’ll take you out with 3 minutes left to avoid any confrontation. Art was called every bad name in the book. We were beating them badly when a UNC player sucker punched Art before I took him out. I angrily confronted the UNC coach and let him know what I thought of UNC. I took Art to the hospital for stitches in his face. Athletic Director Eddie Cameron asked me to be in his office the next day at 8:30 in the morning. I had only been hired in July. I knew I was going to get fired. I felt like I probably deserved it. Mr. Cameron looked me in the eye and said not to let that happen again. What a relief.
The following season there was the big brawl at the varsity game when North Carolina came to Durham. Art Heyman was a sophomore playing varsity ball. When North Carolina came to Duke it was as intense as I’ve ever seen. Larry Brown fouled Art and it all broke loose. Fans, players and chaos on the court. I remember referee Charlie Eckman running to break it up, but instead he took shelter behind the scorer’s table. Art was given a short suspension.
During your time as Duke Head Coach from 1969-1973, what are your best memories from being head coach at Duke?
We were playing North Carolina and it was the day that the name of the gym was changed from Duke Indoor Stadium to Cameron Indoor Stadium. North Carolina was a heavy favorite. With two seconds to go I put Robbie West in into the game. Everyone assumed Gary Melchionni who is former Duke Forward Lee Melchionni’s father, would take the shot. The ball was passed to Robbie West and he made the winning basket. Still one of the most talked about shots in Duke history.
While Head Coach of West Virginia you opposed Duke, Head Coach Vic Bubas on January 7, 1966. What was it like opposing the coach who taught you so much about the game of basketball and how to be a coach?
I was overwhelmed, intimidated and had the greatest respect for Coach Bubas. Coach Everett Case and Coach Bubas recruited me out of high school in Camden, New Jersey and brought me to N.C. State on four year basketball scholarship as an assistant to Coach Bubas. That changed my life. He was changing my future. Then after I got the head coaching job at West Virginia, I had to coach against Vic. The end result - we upset Duke when they were number one. At the end of the game he just put his arm around me and said, “Proud of you”.
Following your coaching career you went into broadcasting. How did your coaching experience prepare you for commentating college basketball games for Raycom, NBC, ESPN , Madison Square Garden, and Fox Sports?
It was great preparation having been a player as well as coaching in the ACC. I really understood the game. What coaches and players were going through emotionally, what was going through their heart, mind, I was blessed to have that come out in my commentary. I have a great face for radio, but they gave me a shot at TV!
Then another great opportunity, ambassador for Duke Children’s Classic came along. What a resume. Tell me about that, please.
In my TV and media work I had developed friendships and participated in numerous fundraising activities. Why not do something for Duke? Perry Como was a great supporter, got Frank Sinatra to participate. Dr. Jay Arena had treated Perry, so the doctor gets that credit for Como’s participation.
As a commentator for College Basketball on NBC, you worked with Billy Packer, the father of Mark Packer who currently works for the ACC Network as host of ACC PM. Billy Packer passed away on January 26, 2023 because of several medical issues including kidney failure. What was it like working alongside him calling games?
Working with Billy Packer was a challenge and fun. He was so bright and fearless. I enjoyed it. First of all, Billy Packer was a great player. His father was a college coach. Billy was being recruited and his father asked Billy “Where do you want to go to school? “Yes, I want to go Duke!” Well, get them on the phone and get it over with. This was before Vic Bubas and I got there. Billy called and said I want to come to Duke! That is great Billy, we will get back to you. “Well, that is settled. I am going to Wake Forest to play for Bones McKinney and current staff.” If Billy had played at Duke he would have been a teammate of Art Heyman. Think about that scenario.The games I did with Billy Packer went really fast.
During your broadcasting career you covered college basketball as well as baseball for the Durham Bulls, who are the Triple A team of MLB’s Tampa Rays. Did playing basketball, baseball at N.C. State help you understand the games, how they are played so you could paint an outstanding picture for the fans and spectators watching the games?
Let me tell you a cute story on that. Durham Bulls were owned by Miles Wolf. WRAL had just purchased a helicopter making a big deal out of it. WTVD didn't have a helicopter so they purchased one and decided to fly Don Shea and I into the stadium and land us on the mound to let everyone know that WTVD had a helicopter now. Don Shea was scared to death. That was some landing! When it was time to address the fans, neither one of us could breathe.
During Jon Scheyer’s inaugural season as Duke Head Coach in the 2022-2023 season you were in attendance for a lot of those games at Cameron Indoor Stadium and would get introduced. When watching Jon Scheyer coach his rookie season as Duke Head Coach in person, what were your thoughts?
Very bright! He had spent a long time with Krzyzewski, a long time as a player, as an Assistant Coach, anything about the Krzyzewski organization and how he operated was clear. The thing that impressed me was that he didn't try to be Mike Krzyzewski. He was Jon Scheyer with his own quiet dignified way and that impressed me most. And I knew he was going to be a success with his coaching of defense. If you watch that Duke team last year, they were intense. Everybody who guarded you gave you a full body massage. In coaching, the offense is easy, players are not too thrilled about the defense. He demonstrated his leadership to me by the way every player on that team came out and played hard defense. I know he is for real.
It’s rare that Duke has freshmen coming back for their sophomore seasons because typically they enter their names in the NBA Draft following their freshman season.
That is not the case for the 2023-2024 season as Kyle Filipowski, Mark Mitchell, Tyrese Proctor all return. How important is experience? Also, expanding on that theme, has there ever been such a period of change and turmoil that is happening right now? One and done, NIL money , the transfer portal? I think it would be wise for the NCAA to call upon valuable resources such as yourself and your decades of experience to restore order. Your thoughts?
It's a decision you make. They're so good you really don't have a chance to coach them. The whole process when I coached, you had four years and they improved physically, mentally, skill wise. When I was coaching it was a marriage for four years. Now it’s come and go. I am so glad I am not coaching. Coaching in my time was about knowing the player, his family, if his Dad got sick you supported your player. When I was coaching my job depended on your performance. We didn't have many transfers. I was grateful for the opportunity but now you're buying his talent for one year. It was an option Mike Krzyzewski did and did it well. I don't think anyone is happy right now. Because coaches were making millions of dollars, now players can make up to three or four million dollars. I can’t relate to that. I have no interest in talking salary with a 17-year-old! I’m glad I’m out of it. There are no longer student athletes, the new dimension that has to be part of the conversation is income potential. Now ACC schools are considering leaving the conference for more money. I was in school at NC State when the conference was born. I wonder if I will see the ACC obituary before you write mine?
On a personal note, thanks to Bucky Waters and his wife, Dottie, for taking the time to share a brief bit of a wonderful career and marriage. Special thanks to my grandfather, Bob Greer, for introducing us. Please make a note, Bucky has been writing a book and it will be available shortly after Christmas. The title is still undecided. Get the book. I promise Bucky has many more great stories and insights. You will be in for a real treat.