Driesell’s Replacement Is Named

The University of Maryland named Coach Bob Wade of Baltimore’s Dunbar High School as its new basketball coach. Wade replaces Lefty Driesell, who resigned a day earlier.

Driesell, under pressure to give up his coaching post after the June 19 cocaine-induced death of All-American Len Bias, accepted a job as assistant athletic director at the university after resigning his post of 17 years. In the months since Bias’ death, Driesell’s program was criticized over its poor academic record as well as the drug problems that surfaced.

Wade, 41, a graduate of Morgan State, has had a running feud with Driesell since 1977. It stemmed from an incident when a Terrapin player and former Dunbar standout, Ernie Graham, said Driesell was lax on his players. Driesell shot back that Graham had been trouble since coming from Dunbar. That started a rift between the two coaches.