FULLERTON COLLEGE CENTENNIAL
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STAFF STORIES: ALEX OMALEV
ALEX OMALEV
Alex Omalev was a cinema major at USC and was hired at Fullerton College as a drama teacher. Two weeks later the basketball coach, legendary coach Arthur Nunn, passed away. For the next five years he coached the men’s basketball team and chaired the theatre department. He would not let the team practice until they sold out Plummer Auditorium.
Alex coached basketball at Fullerton College from 1949 to 1960. He has compiled more victories and the highest winning percentage than any men’s basketball coach at Fullerton. His overall record of 259-76 and .773 winning percentage ranks as one of the highest all time. His team captured the State Championship in 1954 and twice was Runner-up.
Alex left Fullerton College for Cal State Fullerton where he coached the Titans Basketball program for 12 years. One of his protégé includes Don Johnson. He then worked for the Los Angeles Lakers as the interpreter for Vlade Divac.
Omalev conducted many basketball clinics in Europe. On one special occasion he had an audience with Mother Theresa. He asked her to dinner and she politely refused stating that “the money should go to the poor instead”. He donated $20 and asked again if she would have dinner with him and still, the answer was “no”.