Off to the big leagues

Basketball fever has hit not just Toronto but Ryerson as well with the announcement that Roy Rana, head coach of the Ryerson Rams men’s basketball team, has accepted a role as the new chief of staff-assistant coach of the Sacramento Kings in the NBA.

“I’ll miss the community built at Ryerson, the incredibly strong culture we built at Ryerson and everyone who helped create something special that we built together,” Rana said. “There’s so many things I’ll miss about Toronto [too] – the diversity, culture – it’s one of the greatest cities in the world.”

Rana became the 11th coach in Ryerson men’s basketball history when he joined the Rams in 2009, spearheading a new era in Rams athletics. He has transformed the team into a competitive, nationally recognized program that has seen its best-ever results with the program winning its first conference title in school history (in any sport) in 2015-16 and repeating its championship success in 2016-17. In addition, he guided the team to six appearances at the U SPORTS national championship tournament, with five consecutive medals.

“We are thrilled for Coach Rana. His appointment to the Kings organization is not only a reflection of his hard work and success at Ryerson, but is also a testament to the quality athletic programming at our university,” said Jen McMillen, vice-provost, students. “On behalf of the students, staff, faculty and athletes at Ryerson University, we thank Coach Rana for his contributions to our community and his impact on athletics. We wish Coach Rana wonderful success in his next endeavour and we will be cheering him on from Toronto (except if he’s playing the Raptors).”

Rana came to Ryerson at an opportune time. The Rams were entering the 2009-10 season with high expectations after earning their first playoff game in over a decade the previous year. Rana, however, had even loftier goals for a program he felt should become a national contender.

In a 2009 Ryerson Today story, Rana said, "I think for us it's really going to be about taking positive steps forward, and giving ourselves the opportunity to make the playoffs consistently every year," he said. "And once we’re there, giving ourselves the chance to play for an OUA championship and a trip to nationals. That's the goal."

In the 10 years Rana has been at Ryerson, he led the Rams men’s program to become one of the best in the country, playing in an iconic facility (Mattamy Athletic Centre, formerly Maple Leaf Gardens) and earning international recognition. Numerous players, including Jamal Jones, Aaron Best and Adika Peter-McNeilly, have gone onto professional careers, some of whom have represented the Canadian men’s national team.

His coaching style is all about caring, giving, putting players first in everything and “making sure everyone understands the pursuit of excellence,” he says. Although Rana moves from a head coach to an assistant coach position, at the NBA level, the stakes are higher than ever. The Sacramento Kings are led by a new head coach, Luke Walton, who played 10 seasons in the NBA, won two championships with the Los Angeles Lakers and was their head coach from 2016 to 2019.

“My game plan is to listen, to learn, be as open-minded as I can and approach the role with humility so I can give to Luke Walton and the team in every way I can,” Rana said. “This is an incredible growth opportunity for me. I’ll be able to lead in subtle ways and hopefully find a way to make an impact. And ultimately, help drive winning.”

Prior to joining Ryerson, Rana was a high school teacher and one of Canada's most successful high school coaches. In his nine-year tenure as the head coach and program director at Eastern Commerce Collegiate Institute, the program set numerous records. Eastern Commerce became the first team in history to win four consecutive Ontario championships.

With Rana at the helm at Eastern, the team finished six of his nine seasons as the No. 1 ranked team in Canada.

“I spent a lot of time coaching in inner cities, working with youth in challenging situations and that created a foundation of empathy and care in my coaching, it gave me strength not to be afraid of new opportunities,” he said. “I tried to make my teams at Ryerson reflective of Toronto. I love the idea of an underdog and Ryerson was the underdog when I joined. I see similarities in Sacramento and I feel this is an opportunity to help make an impact on a young team. We’ll see! It’s an exciting time.”

Ryerson Rams associate head coach Borko Popic will replace Rana in the upcoming season (external link) . Popic joined the Rams men’s basketball coaching staff during the 2016-17 season, and has been integral to the team’s transformation to a nationally recognized program. Previously, he was assistant coach at Wilfrid Laurier University from 2010-12 and worked with the Canadian national basketball program, providing video and statistical analysis for the senior men’s team. He has also worked with the Canadian junior team.  

Visit the Ryerson Rams website (external link)  for a photo gallery of Rana’s career at Ryerson.