The leading scorer in Austin Peay men's basketball history is now in his seventh season working with Governors players.
Charles "Bubba" Wells, the 1997 Ohio Valley Conference "Player of the Year" and two-time OVC "Male Athlete of the Year" who gained national attention for his miraculous return from a leg stress fracture, was hired in June 2005 as a full-time assistant.
Wells, who battled assorted leg problems throughout his college and pro careers, chose to take a different route with his basketball future-coaching. And he wanted to do it at the school where he built a reputation as not only one of the program's greatest players in history but as well in a conference where he was billed as one of the best during its 60-year existence.
Considered by many the most popular player in OVC history, Wells finished his career with 2,267 points-the first APSU player to reach 2,000 points-ranking him third all-time in the OVC. He was a three-time first-team All-OVC choice after being named the league's "Freshman of the Year" in 1993-94. Wells was the 1997 OVC "Player of the Year" and the 1996 and 1997 OVC "Male Athlete of the Year." He also was two-time Tennessee Sportswriters College Basketball "Player of the Year."
Wells jersey (13) was retired Jan. 22, 1998 and he was inducted into the APSU athletics Hall of Fame, Feb. 8, 2003 after being two-time APSU Outstanding Male athlete (1995-96, 1996-97) and the 1997 Joy Award recipient as the most valuable senior athlete.
As a senior he was named third-team Preseason All-America by Athlon Magazine and all-district by both the U.S. Basketball Writers Association and National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC). He was named to the Basketball Times All-South team. He also captured his second straight Tennessee Sportswriters College Basketball "Player of the Year" award.
As a sophomore, Wells averaged 19.3 ppg and followed that up with a 26.3 ppg (third in nation) in 1995-96, earning the OVC Tourney MVP in leading the Govs to a crown and NCAA tourney appearance. Wells still owns several OVC tourney marks.
But it was his senior year that drew nationwide attention. He missed the season's first 12 games with a stress fracture in his left tibia, requiring surgery to place a tibial nail in the lower leg. He underwent similar surgery following the 1994-95 season, needing five months to rehabilitate.
However, this time the rehab process took less than five weeks and in his debut game, he scored 39 points in 28 minutes. As a result, the performance and the surgery were featured in "USA Today." He went on to become the nation's unofficial scoring leader (he did not have enough games played to qualify for the official title), averaging 31.7 ppg, scoring 30 or more points 11 times including three 40-point games. His 1996-97 scoring mark also broke the legendary James "Fly" Williams (29.5 ppg) mark for single-season scoring average. He was called the "best offensive player" among draft-eligible seniors by NBA draft guru Marty Blake.
His performance also caught the attention of "The Los Angeles Times" in a front-page story about "The Man of Steel" and segments on both CBS NCAA College Basketball "at the Half" and a seven-minute feature-the "Real Rod Man"-on NBC's "Today" show. He was named InfoSport: Basketball's 1996-97 National Comeback Player of the Year. Prior to the season, he was featured in The Sporting News, Sports Illustrated and the Dick Vitale College Basketball Yearbook.
For his career, Wells averaged 21.6 ppg, 7.1 rebounds while shooting 52 percent from the floor.
He was drafted by the Dallas Mavericks in the second round of the 1997 draft and played one season before being traded to the Phoenix Suns and then to the Chicago Bulls. A torn achilles tendon and other leg/groin injuries slowed his professional career, although he played in the Philippines and the Euro League in Greece for two seasons. He then played for the Harlem Globetrotters for two years.
Now Wells is using his playing experience, and his effervescent personality and ability to communicate with young people at the coaching level.
On the floor, Wells works with the post players-he was one of the nation's best post-up players during his APSU career. He also is involved with opponent scouting.
Off the floor, he was named APSU's "Outstanding Young Alumnus" in 2006.
In his free time, he likes to spend time with his family, playing golf, fishing and watching movies.
In August 2007, he married the former Tracee Jones, head women's basketball coach at Tennessee State. The previous summer Wells served as a supporter to Jones on NBC's hit TV show, "Deal or No Deal."
Wells has one daughter, Alyiah, age 11, and one son, Chase Richard, born to he and Tracee last December.
