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The Sacramento Kings have hired Ryerson Rams head coach Roy Rana under the specific and unusual title of “chief of staff-assistant coach.”
The news was first made public by the Rams on Twitter:
M🏀 | Congratulations to our very own @Roy_Rana, who joins the NBA's @SacramentoKings as an assistant coach.
Thanks for an amazing ten years, Coach Rana. @RyersonU
Official release ➡️ https://t.co/VOPKE0s5BA#weRrams | #OnceARamAlwaysARam pic.twitter.com/ZBnAzL30DP
— TMU Bold (@tmubold) June 3, 2019
In his 10-year tenure with the Rams, Rana led the team to six appearances at the U SPORTS national championship tournament, where the Rams won five consecutive medals. He also brought the team its first back-to-back Wilson Cup championship.
Apart from his stint with the Rams, Rana has also led Canada's national program. He coached NBA prospect R.J. Barrett to a gold medal finish at the 2017 FIBA Under-19 World Cup, the first world title for the nation at any level.
Rana will work under head coach Luke Walton, whom the Kings hired as the replacement to Dave Joerger after the latter's firing in April. Per Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun, the 50-year-old will have a prominent role on Walton's staff.
According to The Ryerson University, Roy Rana will be in a prominent role on Luke Walton's staff. "Chief of staff assistant coach" sounds like lead assistant, which would be a coup for Rana given its his first NBA job.
— Ryan Wolstat (@WolstatSun) June 3, 2019
The Kings finished ninth in the Western Conference last season with a 39-43 record. It's their best record since the 2005-2006 season, the last time they qualified for the playoffs. Roy Rana will be asked to help lift this team to a mid-40s win total next season.
Given this, analysts think the Kings have the capacity to make waves in the next few years. They have supreme talents in De'Aaron Fox, Buddy Hield, and Marvin Bagley. Let's see if their coaching changes will turn the Kings into a playoff contender in the coming years.
