Raptors Name Carter Head Coach

By CBSNews.com staff CBSNews.com staff

June 12, 1998 / 10:04 PM EDT / CBS Sportsline

Butch Carter, interim coach of the Toronto Raptors for the final two months of the NBA season, was made full-time coach on Friday.

Carter's contract will run through the 1999-2000 season, and the team will have an option for the 2000-2001 season. Financial terms were not announced.

Carter became interim coach Feb. 13 after Darrell Walker resigned with the Raptors reeling with an 11-38 record. Under Carter, they were only 5-28, finishing the season with a 16-66 record and in last place in the Atlantic Division.

"I am very pleased that Butch will remain as our head coach for the upcoming year and into the future," said Glen Grunwald, vice president and general manager of the Raptors. "Butch displayed a great deal of leadership after taking over a situation in mid-season that was extremely challenging."

"The players responded well to his style, and we are eager to see how much they can benefit from a training camp`and full season under his guidance."

Carter joined the Raptors at the beginning of the 1997-98 season as an assistant coach. Previously, he was an assistant coach with the Milwaukee Bucks from 1991-96 and was a Bucks' scout in 1996-97.

"I am ready for the challenge of building the Raptors into a winner, and that is what I intend to do," Carter said. "We have a strong nucleus of young, talented players, and I expect we can improve on that with the upcoming draft and free agent opportunities."

The Raptors also said that Joe Harrington and Brian James would become assistant coaches, joining John Shumate and Jim Thomas.