Alumni Spotlight: Randy Ayers

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The most influential people in Miami Hall of Famer Randy Ayers' life growing up were coaches.

So it's no surprise that the former Miami Basketball standout went on to a long and successful coaching career after graduation, passing on the lessons he learned in Oxford as a student-athlete back in the mid-1970's.

"I knew I wanted to coach and do something basketball-related when I got out of school," Ayers said. "Miami gave me a foundation.

"It was the right thing. It was a good fit…I needed a place I could go and take my time and develop at my own pace, and this was the perfect place for me."

Randy Ayers visits the Wayne Embry statue — Ayers (pictured) saw the Embry statue outside
Millett Hall for the first time in Sept. 2023

Ayers returned to Miami University for the first time in more than a decade this past weekend to celebrate the induction of former teammate Rick Goins to the Hall of Fame. (Ayers, who served as a consultant with the Phoenix Suns last season after three years as an assistant coach with the franchise, has retired from the profession for good and has quite a bit more free time available to him these days!)

The former Ohio State and Philadelphia 76ers head coach enjoyed getting to connect with old friends, seeing the many changes on campus and specifically admiring the Wayne Embry statue at the south entrance of Millett Hall. Ayers, who followed in Embry's career footsteps from growing up in Springfield, Ohio to playing for the Red and White and eventually working in the NBA, was a key part of helping champion the fundraising for the statue project even though he hadn't previously seen the finished product in person.

"Wayne is the standard for me, being from Springfield," Ayers said as he stared up at the bronze likeness in front of him. "My first pro game [I attended] was to go down to Cincinnati Gardens when he was with the Royals. I was old enough then to understand who he was and what he was all about…

"There's a long list of connections I had with former Miami athletes back in Springfield. Vern Lawson…Charlie Coles…Bob Bronston…I just kept hearing more and more about the history of people from Springfield.

"That was one of the big reasons —obviously Coach [Darrell] Hedric was probably the biggest reason— for me coming here, but Wayne had a big part in that."

Once he arrived, Ayers' career as a Miami student-athlete ended up leaving a permanent imprint on the program's record book, just as Embry did before him. Ayers was a four-time All-MAC selection (1975-78), scored 1,203 career points (which ranks 27th all-time at Miami) and still ranks in the team's top 10 in career assists (346). He contributed to a pair of MAC championships and was a co-captain on the team that upset defending national champion Marquette 84-81 in the 1978 NCAA Tournament, pouring in 20 points in that overtime thriller.

"We had a lot of good moments here as a team," Ayers remembered. "Obviously the Marquette game stands out for a lot of people…we were down late and came back. Some timely plays, and everything just started to go our way late in the game…

Randy Ayers at Miami — Ayers played 105 games for Miami and was drafted
by the Bulls in 1978 before getting into coaching

"I played with some good players; there's five of us that are in the Hall of Fame. Chuck Goodyear, John Shoemaker, Archie Aldridge, Rick Goins. So we were a team."

"I think that's the reason why those teams had so much success," current Miami head coach Travis Steele said. "They had terrific players, but they also had players that understood all they had to sacrifice in order to win and to accomplish their goals.

"It shows the character of those men that they had in the locker room at that time."

Ayers ended up earning a pair of degrees from Miami, finishing his Bachelor's in physical education in 1978 and adding a Master's in educational administration in 1981.

He took full advantage of studying in the Cradle of Coaches and benefited from classes with Hedric, Bill Mallory, Dick Crum, Bud Middaugh and Raymond Ray (just to name a few), as well as getting to cross paths from time to time with legends like Weeb Ewbank and Walter Alston.

Ayers took the myriad of lessons he learned to heart. He mentioned one example of Middaugh explaining in detail to his students how the Miami baseball team warmed up to maximize its pregame time (with some players in the batter's box, some taking ground balls and some working in the outfield) and the impact that made on Ayers' approach to pregame routines down the road.

"That really helped me a lot when I prepared as a coach: to do some warm-up situations that were different but accomplished the same goals," Ayers explained.

"It was neat listening to those coaches over the course of four years," he continued. "They all made us keep notebooks, too, so you could use that if you became a coach.

"I still have my folder!"

After getting his start as a graduate assistant at Miami, Ayers began his coaching career in the college ranks, serving as an assistant first at Army and then Ohio State. He took over as OSU's head coach in 1989 and held that role for eight seasons, including leading the Buckeyes to the second round of March Madness in 1990, the Sweet 16 in 1991 and the Elite Eight in 1992. He was named the Associated Press National Coach of the Year in 1991.

Ayers later transitioned to working in the pros, with stops as an assistant coach for the 76ers (twice), Magic, Wizards, Hornets/Pelicans and Suns. He made two trips to the NBA Finals, first with Philadelphia in 2001 and then with Phoenix 20 years later. Ayers also served as the Sixers' head coach for part of the 2003-04 season.

"Randy is a legend," said Steele. "We are obviously all about the former players and former coaches that have been here and made the program into what it is…getting him back on campus shows the pride that he has here in Miami still.

"Randy has had success everywhere he's been, whether in college or at the NBA level."

As Ayers reminisced about his tenure on the sidelines from 1979 to now (including being inducted into the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013), several words and themes bubbled to the surface as significant parts of his achievements in the industry: Patience, preparation, players, practice and pace.

"Back when I started at Ohio State at [age] 33, you wanted everything done yesterday," Ayers smiled. "I remember I was rushing too much, and I learned how to be patient over the course of my career."

"Then, preparation – which I was taught here at Miami: We prepared for every game. Coach Hedric used to write every game plan on the chalkboard.

"In college, you prepare; in the pros, you play…but I learned to prep here."

Ayers also referred to himself as a players' coach. "I think I appreciate what they go through," he said. Much of his role as an NBA assistant —beyond scouting upcoming opponents— dealt directly with player development and helping individual players or position groups improve their skills and fundamentals.

Randy Ayers Allen Iverson NBA — Ayers (left) was an assistant coach during Iverson's MVP
season in 2000-01 as the 76ers made the NBA Finals

While some of those players may have been inexperienced rookies or lesser-used reserves, he also had the opportunity to work with stars like Jim Jackson at Ohio State and NBA MVP Allen Iverson in Philadelphia. "Contrary to what people think, in October, Iverson may have been our best practice player," Ayers recalled. "He would tell the younger players, 'Do you know how hard it is to shoot the ball 20 to 25 times a game when the defense is focused on you?!'"

Ayers preached the concept of 'readiness' to the players he mentored, pointing out that it 'just takes time' for a player to grow into an All-American or All-Star, with no two careers having the exact same arc or pace of development.

A husband (to Carol '77) and father (of Ryan and Cameron), he compared the process to being a parent. "You've got to have your kids ready to make the right decision at the right time," he said. "Then, sometimes they don't. But we didn't either!

"We tried to have our [athletes] so they were ready to react…Late in games, you need somebody to make a play for you and it's usually bang-bang. They don't have time to think, and they just need to react to the situation.

"When they start doing that, you know that they're ready now."

With his coaching career finally in the rearview mirror, Ayers is ready (there's that word again!) for a slower 'pace' of life. He's looking forward to spending more time with Carol, who is in her final year as a Spanish teacher in the Philly area, as well as getting to be in the stands to watch his two sons coach more often.

"I'm always going to watch a lot of basketball," Ayers said. "I'll try to help somebody out somewhere, breaking down film or something like that."

Of course, even in retirement, Ayers' involvement in the game he loves should come as no surprise.

Because, after all: Once a coach, always a coach.

Find more Front Row Features at: MiamiRedHawks.com/FrontRowFeatures.

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