Ex-Cat and longtime pro Andre Riddick named assistant coach at Cincinnati-Clermont

Former University of Kentucky player Andre Riddick is about to embark on his next basketball adventure.

Riddick, a 6-foot-10 shot-blocker during the Rick Pitino era at Kentucky, was named an assistant coach at the University of Cincinnati-Clermont on Tuesday.

"We are excited to add Coach Riddick to our staff. The wealth of knowledge he brings from coaches he has played for during his career will be a great asset to our program," Clermont head coach Greg Himes said in a news release. "We are looking forward to working with Coach Riddick."

Clermont is Riddick's first coaching job after an 18-year professional playing career that took him around the globe.

"I am truly grateful and very excited about this opportunity," Riddick said in the news release. "I can't wait to get started. I know Coach Himes wants to get the program back to its winning ways and I'm here to help him and our players accomplish that goal."

Cincinnati-Clermont, which plays in Division II of the United States Collegiate Athletic Association, finished 7-18 in 2014-15.

Himes, a graduate of Maysville High School, is entering his third season as coach. Himes' ties to Kentucky also include a stint as an assistant coach at Bracken County and as a trainer for Coach Kelly Wells' state championship team at Mason County.

Riddick played for UK from 1991-95 and shared the school's record for blocked shots in a season (83) with Melvin Turpin until Anthony Davis swatted 186 in 2011-12. Riddick shared Kentucky's single-game record of nine blocks with Sam Bowie until Nerlens Noel shattered that mark with 12 in a 2013 game.

Riddick earned his bachelor's degree in psychology from UK in 1996 and played professionally from 1995-2013. He played in six different countries: Japan, Taiwan, France, Venezuela, the Dominican Republic and Belgium.

Riddick won a championship in 1999 in Venezuela, in 2000 in the Dominican Republic and six titles in Belgium. Riddick was the Most Valuable Player of the Belgium Basketball League in 2004.

Riddick, who came to Kentucky from Brooklyn, N.Y., played much of his career in the Union of European Leagues of Basketball, considered the second tier beneath the Euroleague for elite clubs. He completed his career as the ULEB Cup's all-time leader in rebounds (383) and blocks (122).

After retiring from playing, Riddick served as a volunteer coach for middle school students and started his own basketball training business.

This story was originally published August 5, 2015 at 1:30 PM with the headline "Ex-Cat and longtime pro Andre Riddick named assistant coach at Cincinnati-Clermont."