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Mark joins the APBA after 16 years of college basketball coaching experience. He
is a native of Pittsburg, KS where he was a first team all-state player. He then
moved on into the college ranks where he played at Independence Community
College. In his 2 year stint at Indy, his teams combined for a 54-12 record
including two Jayhawk East Championships and Region IV runner-ups.
Next he chose
to play at Kansas St. University for college and NBA coach Lon Kruger. The Cats
made it to two NCAA tournaments, winning 45 games, and an "Elite Eight"
appearance. Nelson stayed on staff at Kansas St. for a year before moving onto
the junior college ranks. He spent 15 years in junior college coaching at Butler
Co. (KS), Cowley Co. (KS), and Wabash Valley (IL). Eleven of those years was
spent as a head coach winning 243 games. Nelson was named "Coach of the Year" in
Kansas (1999-2000) and in Illinois (2001-2002). In 2001-2002, Nelson led Wabash
Valley to the NJCAA "Final Four" with a 32-6 record.
That summer he was asked to
be a coach for the USA Olympic Basketball Junior National Team. Carmello Anthony
(Syracuse- Denver Nuggets), Chris Bosh (Georgia Tech- Toronto Rapters), Dee
Brown (Illinois), Deron Williams (Illinios), and Bracey Wright (Indiana) were
some of the players on that team.
Nelson has sent players to NCAA teams such as Kentucky, Conneticut, Oklahoma
St., Univ. of Kansas, Univ. of Missouri, Ole Miss, Arizona St., So. Miss,
Creighton, Auburn, and UAB. Nelson had his first player drafted into the 1st
round of the NBA in 2004 when the Boston Celtics took Tony Allen (Oklahoma St.).
Contact Mark:
mark@arizonabasketballacademy.com
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