Walter McCarty to Helm ABA Expansion Franchise in MA

Really, who didn't love walter?

Walter McCarty, the man Jim O'Brien probably once called, the perfect basketball player, has found a new job in hoops.

The former fan and Tommy Heinsohn-favorite will be the North Shore Tides' first head coach.

The Tides are an expansion franchise with the American  Basketball Association. They will be, as far as I can tell, the only team in New England. The perennial powerhouse Vermont Frost Heaves are now defunct.

According to the league's Wikipedia page, the ABA will be adding 24 expansion teams to the league in 2013. That includes three teams in New York: the New York Jamm, New York Lightening and Brooklyn Blackout.

In a press release issued earlier this year, the team announced former Boston Celtics and fictional Lincoln High Railsplitters player, Walter McCarty would be the new head coach.

We are Happy to welcome Walter McCarty as the new Head Coach of the North Shore Tides!  We look forward to having him as the leader of our team in the 2013-2014 ABA season. With Walter's rich basketball history and wisdom we know that he will be the perfect fit for us and our teams future success.

​

We are excited to start our journey with him and the rest of our coaching staff!

McCarty last played in an NBA game with the Los Angeles Clippers in 2005-06. He played 36 games with the team, averaging 2.4 points in 9.8 minutes per night. He played seven-plus years with the Celtics, posting career-highs with 9.8 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game in 1997-98.

Since retiring, McCarty has been pursuing a coaching career. Rick Pitino gave him a job as an assistant coach at the University of Louisville in 2007. McCarty parleyed that into a gig with O'Brien and the Indiana Pacers in 2010. However, Frank Vogel let him go after taking over the reigns in 2011.

Now McCarty will take his talents to the North Shore, where he will be coaching a host of local talent.

Dwight Brewington and Tony Gallo grew up in Lynn, MA. Brewington spent time with Providence College after starring at Worcester Academy. Gallo averaged 17.1 points per game with Coppin State in 2011-12. Raheem Singleton, from Dorchester, played his college ball at the University of Maine and earned a spot briefly on the Maine Red Claws last year.

Raheem Singleton with the Main Red Claws

Other players hail from local schools such as UMass Boston, Salem State, Franklin Pierce and Fitchburg State.

The Tides will be playing home games next season at Swampscott High School.  They will join the ABA's Northeast Division, currently occupied by only the Staten Island Vipers and Jersey City Express. The other New York Expansion teams will most likely also join the division.

Jake Canty, a Salem State graduate and high school math teacher, is the owner and founder of the Tides. Sponsors of The Tides basketball team include The Tides Restaurant and Pub in Nahant, fitness training company Higher Ground in Lynn, and the golf course Kelley Greens in Nahant.

No word yet if McCarty will also be handling National Anthem duties.

For more information on the North Shore Tides, visit www.northshoretides.com or email nstidebball@gmail.com.