Adrian "Ace" Custis (born May 24, 1974) is a American basketball coach and former professional basketball player. He last played in Japan with the

Wakayama Trians The Wakayama Trians are a basketball team based in Wakayama, Wakayama, formerly playing in the National Basketball League (Japan). Notable players * Cyril Awere *Paul Butorac (basketball) * Ace Custis * Takuya Kawamura * Zane Knowles * Yoshifumi ...

and is now an

NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges an ...

Division I coach. After a severe knee injury while trying out for the

Dallas Mavericks The Dallas Mavericks (often referred to as the Mavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Dallas. The Mavericks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Western Conference (NBA), Western Conferenc ...

, Ace became known as one of the best

power forwards Power most often refers to: * Power (physics), meaning "rate of doing work" ** Engine power, the power put out by an engine ** Electric power * Power (social and political), the ability to influence people or events ** Abusive power Power may ...

throughout Asia playing in such countries as Lebanon, Japan, Qatar, Indonesia, Syria and the Philippines. Ace made a further name for himself in prestigious clubs such as Al Riyadi where he won a championship. Ace graduated from

Virginia Tech Virginia Tech (formally the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and informally VT, or VPI) is a Public university, public Land-grant college, land-grant research university with its main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia. It also ...

and won the 1995 NIT championship. In 1997, Ace was an NCAA All-American. In 2007, Ace was inducted into the Virginia Tech Sports Hall of Fame; his #20 jersey was retired and hangs alongside the NBA shooting great

Dell Curry Wardell Stephen Curry (born June 25, 1964) is an American former professional basketball player. He played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1986 until 2002 and retired as the Charlotte Hornets' all-time leader in points (9,839) ...

. Techhoops, a basketball publication, named Ace Custis one of the 10 greatest players ever in

history. Custis was an assistant coach with the

Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks men's basketball The Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks men's basketball team is the basketball team that represents University of Maryland Eastern Shore in Princess Anne, Maryland, United States. The school's team currently competes in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conferen ...

team from 2014 to 2019. He is a native of

Eastville, Virginia Eastville is a town in Northampton County, Virginia, United States. The population was 203 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Northampton County. The Northampton County Courthouse Historic District is part of the Eastville Historic Di ...

and resides in

Fruitland, Maryland Fruitland is a city in Wicomico County, Maryland, United States. The population was 4,866 at the 2010 census. It is included in the Salisbury, Maryland-Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area. Geography Fruitland is located at (38.323555, -75.6 ...

. In 2019 he was hired as the coordinator of basketball relations at Virginia Tech. In 2020 he was promoted to special assistant to the head coach.

References

1974 births Living people Al Riyadi Club Beirut basketball players American expatriate basketball people in Japan American expatriate basketball people in Lebanon American expatriate basketball people in the Philippines American expatriate basketball people in Qatar American expatriate sportspeople in Indonesia American men's basketball players Basketball coaches from Virginia Basketball players from Virginia Grand Rapids Hoops players Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks men's basketball coaches People from Eastville, Virginia People from Wicomico County, Maryland Philippine Basketball Association imports Power forwards (basketball) San Miguel Beermen players Virginia State Trojans men's basketball coaches Virginia Tech Hokies men's basketball players Wakayama Trians players {{1970s-US-basketball-bio-stub