Temple Set To Replace Dunphy With Former Owl McKie In 2019

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Fran Dunphy will coach Temple for one more season before stepping down for assistant Aaron McKie to take over in 2019.

Dunphy took over for retired Hall of Fame coach John Chaney in 2006 and has led the Owls to seven NCAA Tournaments. The Owls, who play in the American Athletic Conference, missed the postseason last season and were bounced in the first round of the NIT this year.

"While the decision to step down after next season is a difficult one, I am excited that Aaron will continue to lead our program in the years ahead," Dunphy said.

McKie starred at Temple under Chaney and played 13 seasons in the NBA. McKie scored 1,650 career points with the Owls, averaged 17.9 points and led Temple to the Elite Eight in 1993.

He was the NBA sixth man of the year in 2000-01 when he helped lead the Sixers to the NBA Finals. He spent six seasons as an assistant coach with the 76ers.

He's been on Dunphy's staff since 2014.

"I am honored and humbled to follow legendary coaches John Chaney and Fran Dunphy in leading the storied Temple program," McKie said. "There will be plenty of time to talk about the future, but right now, my focus is on supporting coach Dunphy and our incredible student-athletes as we work hard in the offseason to get ready for the 2018-19 season."

Dunphy is 247-152 at Temple and twice finished first in the Atlantic 10. He won the AAC championship in 2015-16 when the Owls went 14-4. Dunphy won 10 Ivy League championships, three Big 5 city series titles and went 310-163 in 17 seasons at Penn.

Dunphy's connection to Philadelphia basketball stretches back more than 40 years. He started at La Salle where he was a co-captain and helped the Explorers to a 23-1 record in 1969 under coach Tom Gola.

The big knock on Dunphy is his lack of success in the NCAA Tournament. The Owls won only two games in the tournament under Dunphy and the Quakers, out of the Ivy League, had one win in his 10 trips to the tournament.

McKie takes over at a program that has had remarkable consistency on the bench. He'll become just the fifth coach at Temple since 1952. The Owls haven't played in a Final Four since 1958 and they haven't reached the Sweet 16 or Elite 8 since 2001.

"Coach Dunphy has done a great job leading the program and is considered one the great coaches in the country," Chaney said. "I am proud he is handing over the team to one of our greatest players and one of my favorite sons, Aaron McKie."

(Copyright 2018 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)