After seven years in the program, Weber State men’s basketball assistant coach Phil Beckner is leaving the Wildcats to accept a position as an assistant coach with the NBA Development League team for the Oklahoma City Thunder.
“Our whole program is very excited and happy for Phil to have this opportunity,”said WSU head coach Randy Rahe. “No one has been more dedicated, loyal, or invested in our program than Phil has been for the last seven years and he has been a huge part of the success we’ve had. We are truly going to miss him in a lot of ways and we’re sorry to see him go but we’re extremely happy for him and wish him nothing but the best of luck. Phil is a rising star in this profession and his future is incredibly bright.”
Beckner spent seven seasons with the Wildcat men’s basketball program, including the last five years as a full-time assistant coach. He was a part of three Big Sky championship teams in his seven years with the Wildcats. Beckner came to Weber State for the 2007-08 season and spent the first two seasons as the Director of Basketball Operations. In 2010, he was elevated to a full-time assistant coach.
During the past season, Beckner helped lead the Wildcats to the 2013-14 Big Sky Conference title, the Big Sky Tournament title and a trip to the NCAA Tournament. It marked the sixth straight postseason tournament appearance for coach Beckner at Weber State.
During his time with the Wildcats, Beckner was primarily responsible for the defensive side of the ball. During the 2013-14 season, Weber State led the Big Sky in scoring defense, field goal percentage defense, 3-point field goal percentage defense and rebounding margin. During the 2012-13 season, Weber State ranked second in the nation in three-point field goal percentage defense, in route to a record-setting 30-7 record and a trip to the CollegeInsider.com Tournament championship game.
Beckner also oversaw player development at Weber State and worked closely with Damian Lillard during his four seasons with the Wildcats, coaching him to All-American honors and the sixth overall selection in the 2012 NBA Draft. Lillard was named the 2013 NBA Rookie of the Year with the Portland Trail Blazers and was named to the 2014 NBA All-Star team.
In his time with the Wildcats, Beckner has been a part of three Big Sky championship teams with five conference MVP awards. David Patten (2007), Kellen McCoy (2009), Damian Lillard (2010, 2012) and Davion Berry (2014) were all named the Big Sky Conference MVP.
A native of Buckeye, Ariz., Beckner graduated from Kansas Wesleyan University in Salina, Kan., where he played four years on the men’s basketball team. He obtained a bachelor’s degree in Physical Education in 2005.
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