Calbert Cheaney - Men's Basketball Coach - Indiana University Athletics

Calbert Cheaney

Title:
Director of Player Development
Email:
mbasket@iu.edu
Phone:
(812) 855-2238

Calbert Cheaney spent two seasons as the program's Director of Player Development in a non-coaching role after being hired on May 23, 2023. The stint marked his second with the Hoosiers after serving as the Director of Operations for two seasons (2011-13) and the Director of Internal and External Player Development (2012-13).

WITH THE HOOSIERS
Indiana finished the 2024-25 season with a 19-13 overall record and a 10-10 mark in Big Ten play. For the second-straight season, the Hoosiers earned four road wins (at Penn State, at Ohio State, at No. 11 Michigan State, and at Washington) in league play. In addition to its road triumph at nationally ranked MSU, IU also topped No. 13 Purdue at home to give the Cream ‘n Crimson two ranked wins.

The Hoosiers brought in the second-ranked transfer portal class according to 247Sports and signed consensus top 30 recruit in freshman wing Bryson Tucker. Sixth-year senior center Oumar Ballo, the top portal commit, averaged 13.0 points, 9.1 rebounds, a career-high 2.1 assists, and 1.3 blocks per game on his way to Honorable Mention All-Big Ten honors. Junior forward Malik Reneau was also named All-Big Ten Honorable Mention after he averaged a team-best 13.3 points per game to go along with 5.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists per outing.

The 2023-24 season, his first back with the Hoosiers under head coach Mike Woodson, saw the Hoosiers finish 19-14 with a 10-10 mark in Big Ten play. IU earned four B1G road victories (at Michigan, at Ohio State, at Maryland, at Minnesota), which tied for third-most in league play.

Indiana’s staff saw the second-year transformations of big men Kel’el Ware and Malik Reneau. Ware, who transferred to Indiana following a disappointing freshman season at Oregon, finished the season as an All-Big Ten Second Team selection by the media (Third Team by the coaches) and All-Defensive pick after becoming the third Hoosier in the last 25 seasons to average at least 15.0 points and 9.0 rebounds per game. He finished second in the Big Ten in double-doubles (15), rebounds (9.9), and field goal percentage (58.6%), fifth in blocks (1.9), and 12th in points (15.9). Reneau posted career bests in points (15.4 per game), rebounds (6.0), assists (2.7), blocks (0.6), and minutes played (28.8) on his wat to All-Big Ten Honorable Mention consideration.

Heralded five-star freshman Mackenzie Mgbako became the second Hoosier in as many seasons to be named (Co) Big Ten Freshman of the Year after he averaged 12.2 points, 4.1 rebounds in 33 starts. Mgbako was one of two freshmen in the NCAA to score over 400 points, make at least 50 3-pointers, convert on 90-plus free throws, and grab at least 125 rebounds.

BEFORE BLOOMINGTON
Cheaney spent the previous three seasons (2020-23) on the staff with the Indiana Pacers serving in a player development role. From 2018-20 he was an assistant coach with the Erie BayHawks and College Park Skyhawks of the NBA G League. Before the leap back to the professional ranks, Cheaney spent three seasons (2013-16) with Saint Louis University. The 2013-14 season saw the Billikens finish 27-7, win the Atlantic 10 regular season, and earn an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament.

His first experience at the collegiate level came with the Hoosiers from 2011-13, a two-year stretch that saw IU advance to back-to-back Sweet Sixteen appearances. Indiana also won the program's first outright Big Ten title in 20 seasons in 2013 while maintaining a No. 1 ranking in the country for the majority of the 2012-13 season.

Cheaney began his coaching career with the Golden State Warriors as a special assistant to the front office (2009-10) and an assistant coach (2010-11).

PLAYING AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL
The Washington Bullets selected Cheaney with the sixth pick of the 1993 NBA Draft. He played 825 games during his 13-year NBA playing career with five franchises. He averaged 9.5 points and 3.2 rebounds in his career for Washington (1993-99), Boston (1999-2000), Denver (2001-02), Utah (2002-03), and Golden State (2003-06). He averaged double figures in each of his first five seasons in the league, including a career-best 16.6 points per game as a sophomore in Washington during the 1994-95 season. He started all 79 games he appeared in for the playoff-bound Bullets in 1996-97. He averaged 10.6 on 50.5% shooting in the regular season and 15.0 and 3.7 rebounds in the playoffs.

He had the honor of playing for some of the most decorated coaches in basketball history including Wes Unseld (Bullets), Rick Pitino (Celtics), and Jerry Sloan (Jazz).

B1G ALL-TIME LEADING SCORER
Cheaney, the first left-handed player to be given a scholarship under legendary head coach Bob Knight, led the Hoosiers in scoring in each of his four collegiate seasons in Bloomington. He averaged 17.1 points and 4.6 rebounds per game while shooting 58.6% from the floor, 49.0% from the 3-point line, and 75.0% from the free throw line. His sophomore year (1990-91) produced a Big Ten regular season title, a record of 29-5 (15-3 B1G), and a trip to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen. Cheaney averaged 21.6 points and 5.5 rebounds per game while shooting 62.4% from the floor, 47.3% from the 3-point line, and 80.1% from the free throw line.

The Hoosiers made a run to the NCAA Final Four during his junior season (1991-92) behind 17.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, and a career-best 1.1 steals per game from Cheaney. He shot 55.6% from the floor, 38.4% from behind the arc, and 80.0% from the charity stripe. He was named to the All-West Region Team after averaging 20.3 points and 5.5 rebounds in the four games leading up to the Final Four, including 30 points and eight rebounds in a second-round victory over Shaquille O’Neal and the LSU Tigers.

The Hoosiers opened the 1992-93 season, Cheaney’s last season, as the No. 4-ranked team in the country and never fell below No. 6. IU was the top-ranked team in five of the last seven polls and was rated a top-2 team from Jan. 18th through the end of the regular season. Indiana wrapped the season with a 31-4 record, finished 17-1 in Big Ten play, and earned the No. 1 seed in the Midwest Region of the NCAA Tournament. Cheaney averaged career highs in scoring (22.6 points per game), rebounds (6.4), and assists (2.4). He shot 57.9% from the floor, 42.7% from 3, and 79.5% from the free throw line. Cheaney was named the Midwest Region’s Most Outstanding Player after averaging 26.5 points and 8.3 rebounds in four tournament games.

Cheaney finished his career with a Big Ten-record 2,613 career points in 132 games played (130 career starts). His 19.8 points per game average is tied (Mike Woodson) for the second highest by a Hoosier who played four seasons in college. The Hoosiers compiled a record of 105-27 and was ranked inside the top-10 in 51 of the final 53 polls during his four-year career. He helped the Hoosiers to a run to the 1992 Final Four. The 2003 IU Athletics Hall Of Fame inductee was named the Naismith and Wooden National Player of Year in 1993, was a three-time All-American, three-time All-Big Ten selection, and a four-time team MVP.

ALL-STAR PREP CAREER
A four-year standout at Evansville Harrison High School, Cheaney averaged 22.9 points per game as a senior, including a school record 47 points against Henderson County, before a broken ankle ended his high school career. He was named to the 1989 Indiana All-Star Team but was unable to play due to the injury. Cheaney helped guide the Warriors to two city and two conference titles. He averaged 20.9 points and 6.2 rebounds per contest as a junior. He left Harrison ranked second on the program’s all-time scoring list at 1,064 career points.

PERSONAL

Cheaney and his wife, Yvette, have one son, Julian, a graduate of DePaul, and one daughter, a graduate from the University of Miami.