Newly hired East Central University Men’s Basketball Head Coach Daniel Wheeler recently added Zack Price to his coaching staff as an assistant coach for the 2022-2023 season.
“I am thrilled to have Zack join the ECU men’s basketball program,” Wheeler stated. “Zack has worked for some amazing coaches and comes to the Tigers with a great knowledge of the game. I have known Zack for a long time and he is passionate about people and basketball. He is the right guy to have on the bus and will bring tremendous value to our program and this university.”
“I am beyond grateful to join coach Wheeler’s staff at ECU,” commented Price. “Coach Wheeler has one of the best basketball minds and is one of the hardest working coaches that I have been around. I am thrilled to help him start from the beginning and build a winning program.”
A native of Leawood, Kan., Price arrives at ECU with valuable coaching experience, including stints at the college, high school and club level, as well as a supporting role with USA Basketball. He played collegiately at Texas Christian University (2010-11) and Missouri Western State University (2012-15).
Price joins the Tigers after spending last season (2021-22) as a graduate assistant at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kan. At KSU, he was under the tutelage of the 2005 Naismith Coach of the Year and 2013 Big 12 Coach of the Year, Bruce Weber. Price assisted the Wildcats in player development and opponent scouting. While with the Wildcats, Price coached Big 12 first-team selection Nigel Pack along with the Big 12’s rebounding leader, Mark Smith, and steals leader, Markquis Nowell.
Before joining the KSU staff, Price spent three years (2018-21) on the coaching staff of legendary Kansas high school basketball coach Ed Fritz at Blue Valley Northwest High School in Overland Park, Kan., where he was a varsity assistant coach and junior varsity head coach. During his tenure, the Huskies captured the 2019 Kansas 6A State Championship, three Kansas 6A Sub-State Championships (2019, 2020, 2021), and a pair of Eastern Kansas League conference championships (2020, 2021) in route to posting a 65-6 combined record.
Prior to joining the staff at Blue Valley North West, Price was a graduate assistant at his alma mater, Missouri Western, from 2016-18 for his college coach Brett Weiberg. He was involved in all aspects of the program, including day-to-day operations, travel, scouting, recruitment, evaluation and development.
In addition to his coaching experience, Price has been involved in the development of players in the USA Basketball system, including stints as a support staffer with both the 2021 U19 and U16 Men’s Junior National Teams. He helped head coach and current TCU head coach, Jaime Dixon, and the U19 staff prepare for the FIBA U19 World Cup, where they won a second-straight gold medal, while he also assisted head coach Sharman White and the U16 staff who also won a gold medal at the FIBA Americas Championship. Price was selected to help with the annual Nike Hoop Summit game in Portland, Ore., in which USA defeated the World Team, 102-88.
Price played one season (2010-11) for head coach Jim Christian at TCU before finishing his playing career (2012-15) at Missouri Western for head coaches Tom Smith and Brett Weiberg. He was a three-time academic honor roll selection (2013, 2014, 2015) and the recipient of the inaugural Griffon Award (2015).
Price earned a bachelor’s degree in sports management from Missouri Western in 2015 before adding a master’s degree in sport and fitness management in 2018.
Price added to East Central U Men’s Basketball staff
