At the D1 college level he was most recently the associate head coach for the Vanderbilt Commodores of the Southeastern Conference under former NBA great Jerry Stackhouse.
Jeff Eisenberg of Yahoo Sports said the importance of discipline, teamwork, and following the chain of command became ingrained in Grace, and three months in Saudi Arabia (during Operation Desert Storm) also taught him to appreciate the difference between the life-threatening pressure of a combat zone and the day-to-day challenges of a job.
That team that featured Philadelphia 76ers player Jerryd Bayless (Arizona), Kaleo Kina (Naval Academy), Darren Jordan (Oral Roberts), Ty Morrison (Creighton/Grand Canyon), and former Stanford All-Conference selection and European League professional Lawrence Hill (Le Havre, France).
[7] As an assistant varsity coach he helped lead Trevor Browne to a State Final Four and the team finished ranked in the Top 40 in the nation by the Sporting News.
[11] Grace's first major recruit there was 2006-07 Big Sky Freshman of the Year Vinnie McGhee from Oakland's McClymonds High School.
His first major Beaver recruit was All-Conference Team selection Roberto Nelson, who became the 2012-13 Pac-12 Conference scoring champion (20.7 points per game), and was a European pro in Italy (Trieste).
"[15] On March 24, 2018 long time Tucson sports columnist Greg Hansen, in referring to rejuvenating the Arizona Wildcat program after their first round NCAA exit, asked in his column "Is (Sean) Miller willing to pursue someone like UCLA's David Grace, who, in my opinion, is the league's most feared recruiter and top assistant coach?
"[20] The 2016–17 UCLA Bruins men's basketball team included new recruits Lonzo Ball (the Naismith National Prep Player of the Year), T. J.
[26] Shortly before the Final Four of the 2018 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, Grace was informed that he would not be retained by UCLA, being replaced by Murry Bartow.
[27] He was then hired by Wyking Jones to be an assistant coach for the California Golden Bears men's basketball team in April 2018.
[28] Jones had previously worked for Steve Alford at the University of New Mexico racking up 52 wins in two years before heading to Louisville under Rick Pitino where they won the NCAA D1 National Championship in 2013.
Turner became Vanderbilt's Vice Chancellor and AD shortly before hiring Stackhouse who he had worked with previously as president of the NBA G League.
Leaf, Saben Lee, Kevon Looney, Kenyon Martin Jr., Eric Moreland, Aaron Nesmith, Norman Powell, Travis Wear, Thomas Welsh, Chris Smith, Jules Bernard, and Scotty Pippen Jr. Five of these players were NBA Lottery picks in the Ball brothers, Bayless, LaVine, and Nesmith.
...We ran basically the same plays from the year before and it just goes to show you what can happen when you bring a person in and he cares more about his teammates and about passing the basketball.
That’s what I think is happening now with the Bulls.”[37] In 2022 Grace accepted the position of Head Coach at legendary athletic powerhouse Centennial High School in Peoria, AZ.
He co-led those teams to multiple NCAA and CBI tournaments, winning a Pac 12 Championship, and reaching as high as a #2 national ranking for the UCLA Bruins behind current NBA star Lonzo Ball.
In his first season with Campbell Hall he led the varsity squad to the CIF Southern Section 2AA Championship Quarterfinals where they lost in an away game at St. Anthony's 91–86.
In his first year at The Hall Grace coached three players who have received full ride basketball scholarships and a fourth who has multiple offers.
This adds to the athletes receiving full ride scholarships in his former high school coaching jobs, not including club ball.
They are Shawn Deadwiler II - LMU, Kaleo Kina - Navy, Daren Jordan - Oral Roberts, and Ty Morrison - Creighton.
He and his wife, Crystal, have six grown children: Troy, Terrell, Tierra, David II, Aubrey, and Andre, as well as godson Mekai Roquemore.
Grace's father Gerald was a high school basketball referee and baseball umpire in Maryland for 35 years, and his brother Jason coaches lacrosse at the NCAA level.