Thursday, May 8, 2003 | 9:24 a.m.
When he first enrolled at UNLV after starring at Cheyenne High School, Vince Booker was just hoping to get a chance to play.
Now Booker, a 23-year-old former student manager and walk-on point guard, will be a coach for his hometown college.
Booker was hired Wednesday as the school's new director of basketball operations. He replaces Dave Rice, who recently took over the assistant coaching position vacated by Derek Thomas when Thomas accepted the head coaching position at Western Illinois.
"My whole experience regarding UNLV has been kind of a blessing from God," Booker said. "And now it continues. I'm grateful and humble to get this opportunity."
Booker definitely knows the operation from the ground up.
Booker began his career at UNLV as a student manager and eventually convinced former Rebels coach Bill Bayno to give him a chance to walk on to the squad. He worked his way into the lineup, starting 49 games. He started all 32 games in his senior year in 2001-02 under then first-year coach Charlie Spoonhour, averaging 4.9 points and 2.3 assists. He also hit the game-winning shot in a 73-70 victory against BYU.
It was that kind of grit and determination that impressed Spoonhour when it came time to hire a new coach.
"He was one of the most hard-working and dependable players that we had," Spoonhour said. "He has a good understanding of the way we want to do things. He just has some exceptional qualities as a person and I think he has a chance to be a real good coach."
As the director of basketball operations, Booker's duties will include everything from coordinating team practice and travel schedules as well as film exchanges with opposing teams and assisting team academic adviser Julie Johnson. He also will help put together the Rebels' schedule.
Besides continuing to take classes at UNLV the past year toward his Masters, Booker has also been working at the North Las Vegas Boys and Girls Club in youth development.
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