A product of nearby Johnson City, Tenn., Omar Wattad is entering his fourth season as as assistant coach for the Lincoln Memorial University men’s basketball program. It marks Wattad’s fifth total season with the Railsplitters, as he joined the staff as a graduate assistant prior to the 2014-15 campaign following professional stints in the Republic of Georgia as well as Israel.
The 2014-15 season – Wattad’s first on staff – was a banner year for the Railsplitters, who went 30-3, captured the South Atlantic Conference regular-season title and hosted the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional at Tex Turner Arena for the first time in program history. That season, Wattad coached four All-SAC players, including SAC Player of the Year Lorenzo Ross. Ross and teammate Luquon Choice went on to garner All-Southeast Region laurels as well.
In Wattad’s first season as a full-time assistant coach, the 2015-16 Railsplitters turned in the most successful season for a men’s basketball program in the 25-year history of the South Atlantic Conference. That year saw LMU rack up a program-record 34 wins, win a fourth-straight SAC regular-season title and nab the program’s third SAC Tournament championship. The Railsplitters would eventually win the Southeast Region title — the first in program history — to advance to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight in Frisco, Texas. That run wouldn’t stop there, as the Railsplitters won two more games to earn a spot in the National Championship game, becoming the first men’s basketball team to accomplish that feat in SAC history. The Railsplitters would finish the season ranked No. 1 in the nation.
It was more of the same during the 2016-17 season, as the Railsplitters went 30-6 overall, won another SAC regular-season crown and captured their second straight Southeast Regional championship. LMU eventually went back to the national semifinals for the second year in a row.
The 2017-18 campaign – Wattad’s fourth as an assistant coach – was another special year in Harrogate. The Railsplitters went a remarkable 32-2 and won their sixth straight SAC regular-season title with a perfect 20-0 conference record. LMU finished the year ranked No. 1 in the nation, won their fourth SAC tournament championship and went to the Southeast Regional championship game for the third year in a row.
All told, in Wattad’s four-year tenure, the Railsplitters have compiled a 126-14 record, won four SAC regular-season titles, amassed a nearly perfect 82-4 SAC record and hosted three Southeast Regional tournaments.
Prior to his professional tenure, Wattad graduated from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in 2012 with a bachelor’s degree in sociology. At the time of his graduation, Wattad ranked fourth all-time at UTC for career three-point field goals, fifth in three-point field goal attempts and 30th in scoring in the program’s D-I era. Wattad compiled 820 points, 230 boards and 119 assists in two seasons with the Mocs, earning All-Southern Conference laurels both years. Wattad transferred to Tennessee-Chattanooga after spending two years as a reserve guard for Georgetown (Washington, D.C.).
Upon his graduation from UTC, Wattad signed a professional contract with Energy Invest Rustavi Basketball Club in the Georgian Super League. He also spent a season with the Hapoel Holon Basketball Club in the Israeli Winner League.
Wattad play prep basketball at Science Hill High School, where he left as the program's all-time leading scorer with 2,285 points. He was a two-time all-state selection as well as a two-time region MVP. On November 2, 2015, Wattad was inducted into the Science Hill High School Hall of Fame.
Born in Shreveport, La., Wattad earned a master's degree in conflict resolution at LMU.
He is the son of Ahmad, a pediatric nephrologist, and Sueher, a former school teacher. He has two older brothers: Nizar and Bader Wattad.
