Brittni Donaldson is now the NBA's 10th female assistant coach after joining Nick Nurse and his Raptors staff for the upcoming season. The 26-year-old is already familiar with the team, serving as a data analyst for the last two seasons. Now, with a new promotion under her belt, she's ready to take the next step in her career with confidence.
Donaldson recently joined CBC Radio's Metro Morning to discuss her new role with the Raptors. Some might feel pressured to perform under these circumstances, but the Sioux City native says she is excited to get started:
Matt Galloway: You went from crunching stats for the team to assistant coach. Tell me a little bit about how you're feeling when it comes to this move?
Brittni Donaldson: I'm surprisingly feeling very comfortable and very excited with it … I haven't not been on the court or not been around the coaching staff for the past two years, I've been pretty integrated already. So it's going to be more than a comfortable transition and I'm really excited.
MG: That's a big move to become an assistant coach in the NBA. How did Nick Nurse the head coach break the news to you?
BD: It's definitely a big move. There was a spot open on the staff and they presented me with the opportunity and it was something that I couldn't pass up.
More and more females are earning coaching positions in the NBA. As a result, these women are becoming role models for those aspiring to take a similar path in life. Donaldson says she takes this responsibility very seriously:
MG: You know a lot of young girls will look at you and see them in you. You're the tenth female NBA assistant coach and that means a lot to people. What do you take away from that?
BD: It means a lot to me, to be honest. I'm really excited to take on that responsibility. I think representation is so important, especially for younger girls and boys. You don't really get an idea planted in your head unless you see it or hear it first. And so for me at a young age, I didn't even know that this would be a possibility. And so for me to be somebody for young people to look at and they can say, ‘I look like her or I empathize with her in some way and I can do what she's doing,' that means a lot to me and I'm not going to take it lightly.
The Raptors enjoyed a fantastic 2018-19 campaign, culminating with the team's first championship in franchise history. Without a doubt, they'll be looking to make a similar push in the coming season.
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