Early years After the NBA, Romar played and coached for
Athletes in Action. Romar was then hired as an assistant coach at the
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) under head coach
Jim Harrick from 1992 to 1996, and was credited with recruiting many of the players on the
1995 national championship team. Romar became the head coach at
Pepperdine University and then at
Saint Louis University before taking the job at Washington in 2002.
Washington Romar was credited with turning around the University of Washington basketball program and generating new enthusiasm for the program. In 2004, Washington qualified for the
NCAA tournament for the first time in five years. In 2005,
Washington won the
Pac-10 tournament and received a No. 1 seed in the
NCAA tournament. The Huskies made their way to the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since
1998, but were ousted by
Louisville. In 2006,
Washington earned a third consecutive
NCAA tournament appearance and advanced to the Sweet Sixteen for the second consecutive year. After failing to make the NCAA Tournament the next two years, Romar was named
Pac-10 Coach of the Year for leading the Huskies to their first outright conference title since 1953.
They earned a No. 4 seed in the
NCAA tournament, but lost in the Second Round. The Huskies returned to the
Sweet Sixteen the
following year, but again lost. In 2011, the
Huskies earned their third consecutive trip to the
NCAA tournament. The trip marked the Huskies' last trip to the Tournament under Romar. With a season-opening win over
South Carolina State on November 14, 2014, Romar passed
Marv Harshman to become the second-winningest coach in UW history. After four years of near .500 seasons and five years without an NCAA Tournament appearance, Romar recruited his long-time friend Michael Porter Sr. to join the Huskies as an assistant coach in 2016. Michael Porter Sr. was expected to bring his two sons,
Michael Porter Jr. and
Jontay Porter, as commits to Washington. Michael Porter Jr. was widely considered the No. 1 recruit in the 2017 class. However, on March 15, 2017, following a dismal
9–22 season with future #1 pick
Markelle Fultz leading the team, Romar was fired as head coach at Washington after 15 years. Romar ended his tenure at Washington with a record of 298–195. He made six NCAA Tournaments and three NITs, but had not made the NCAA Tournament in six straight years prior to his firing.
Arizona assistant coach On April 16, 2017, it was announced that Romar had joined
Sean Miller's staff at
Arizona as associate head coach. On February 24, 2018, Romar was the interim head coach for one game after news broke the previous day that the
FBI had reportedly intercepted phone conversations about Miller talking about paying
Deandre Ayton to come to Arizona. Ayton would be the second straight #1 pick to be coached by Romar for at least one game.
Pepperdine (second stint) Romar was announced as the new head men's basketball coach at Pepperdine on March 12, 2018, returning for his second stint with the school. On March 24, 2021, Romar's Waves beat Coastal Carolina 84–61 to win the
2021 College Basketball Invitational, securing the program's first-ever postseason championship. Romar was fired on March 4, 2024.
Loyola Marymount On March 19, 2024, it was announced that Romar had joined
Stan Johnson's staff at
Loyola Marymount as an assistant coach. ==Coaching style==