Update: Weber State hires former 18-year NBA assistant as head basketball coach | News, Sports, Jobs

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Portland Trail Blazers head coach Kaleb Canales calls for a sub during a game on March 16, 2012, in Chicago.

Brian Kersey, Associated Press

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Portland Trail Blazers head coach Kaleb Canales talks to his team during a timeout during a game March 16, 2012, in Chicago.

Brian Kersey, Associated Press

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Portland Trail Blazers head coach Kaleb Canales yells to his team during a game April 16, 2012, in Phoenix.

Matt York, Associated Press

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Portland Trail Blazers interim coach Kaleb Canales speaks with his players, from left, Wesley Matthews (2), Jamal Crawford, Craig Smith (83) and Joel Przybilla during a game April 11, 2012, in Portland, Ore.

Rick Bowmer, Associated Press

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Portland Trail Blazers head coach Kaleb Canales directs his team during a game April 26, 2012, in Salt Lake City.

Jim Urquhart, Associated Press

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Weber State’s first search for a men’s basketball head coach in 20 years has landed on someone with 18 years of NBA experience who’s also relatively green to college coaching.

Kaleb Canales has been hired as the 11th head coach in Weber State’s Division I history, the school announced Friday morning.

He replaces Eric Duft, who was head coach for four seasons after 16 years as an assistant.

“I am truly honored and humbled to be named the head coach of Weber State men’s basketball,” Canales said in a news release. “We will build a culture that is connected on both ends of the floor, connected in the classroom, and connected to the community. This is a program with a proud tradition, a world-class institution, and a passionate fan base. I’m ready to get to work.”

Canales, 47, comes to Ogden most recently from Troy University, where he served for one season as associate head coach to Scott Cross. Troy went 22-12 this season and won the Sun Belt regular-season and tournament championships. The Trojans were a 13-seed in the NCAA Tournament, losing to Nebraska in the first round, and Cross left to be the head coach at Georgia Tech.

Troy was a college bookend for Canales, whose coaching career began with one season as an assistant coach at his alma mater, UT Arlington, when the Mavericks won a share of the Southland Conference title in 2004. He’s a native of Laredo, Texas.

In the 21 years between college gigs, he’s twice worked as a head coach: in 2012 as interim head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers for the team’s final 23 games, and in 2025 as head coach of the Calgary Surge in the Canadian Elite Basketball League.

“Kaleb is an exceptional person and a world-class tactical mind who is widely regarded across the industry as a premier mentor and developer of talent,” WSU athletic director Tim Crompton said in a statement. “Weber State basketball is defined by a rich history of excellence, and we were determined to find a leader who respects that legacy while possessing the modern vision to elevate it.”

Weber State’s search narrowed to seven candidates last week and finalists were brought to campus this week, sources said. Crompton said, via WSU’s news release, that search firm College Sports Solutions assisted the university’s hiring committee in the process.

Canales became the first Hispanic head coach in NBA history upon his appointment as interim leader of the Blazers in 2012 following the dismissal of Nate McMillan; he went 8-15 in that stint. In 2025, Calgary had the CEBL’s second-best record and the team reached, but lost, the league’s playoff final.

“His resume is second to none,” Cross said upon hiring Canales at Troy. “But what gets me even more fired up is his energy, enthusiasm, and passion for the game. He has a desire to help players become the best version of themselves.”

Following UT Arlington, Canales worked for the Trail Blazers for seven seasons: four as video coordinator, three as an assistant coach. He was then assistant coach for five seasons with the Dallas Mavericks, two with the New York Knicks, one with the Indiana Pacers and two with the Orlando Magic.

Canales worked under McMillan, Rick Carlisle, Terry Stotts, David Fizdale and Jamahl Mosley on NBA benches.

“I’m very excited to welcome K to the Weber State family,” said Damian Lillard, NBA superstar and WSU’s general manager, in a news release. “A major change like this is hard for me as someone so connected to the program through coach (Randy) Rahe and coach Duft’s tenure. As GM, my goal is to help build the program to a high level, and someone with coaching experience at all levels, like Kaleb, is perfect for that.”

Canales was also the associate head coach for the Texas Legends in the NBA G League from 2023-25, and has been associate head coach for Mexico’s national men’s team since 2021.

After going 16-16 last season, Weber State currently has six players who have announced their intent to enter the transfer portal, which officially opens Tuesday, April 7. At least initially, Canales will have seven to nine roster spots to recruit.

The primary task Canales inherits is ending the 10-year drought since Weber State last won a Big Sky regular-season or conference tournament title.