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Jay TrianoCanadian professional basketball player and coach
Date of Birth: 21.09.1958
Country:  Canada |
Content:
Jay Triano: A Lifetime in Basketball
Early Life and College CareerJay Triano is a Canadian professional basketball coach and former player who currently serves as the head coach of the Toronto Raptors in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and as an assistant coach for the United States men's national team. Triano previously coached the Canadian men's national basketball team and is currently an assistant coach with Team USA. As a player, Triano captained the Canadian national team at two Olympic Games, in 1984 and 1988.
Triano attended Simon Fraser University, where he was a standout player for the university's basketball team. Over four seasons, he set 11 school records, including scoring 2,616 points. Triano also played for the university's football team in his senior year and was even drafted by the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League (CFL), but he ultimately opted to pursue a basketball career.
Professional Playing Career
After graduating, Triano was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers in the eighth round of the 1981 NBA Draft, but he never played in the NBA. Instead, he spent his professional career playing in Mexico and Turkey, including one season with Fenerbahçe. Triano played for the Canadian national basketball team from 1978 to 1988, serving as its captain from 1981 to 1988. With the national team, he played in three Olympic Games (1980, 1984, and 1988) and several World Championships, and was part of the team that won the gold medal at the 1983 Summer Universiade in Edmonton. Triano was inducted into the Canadian Basketball Hall of Fame in 1993.
Coaching Career
Triano began his coaching career in 1985 as an assistant coach at his alma mater, Simon Fraser University. In 1988, he was named head coach of the university's team and led them until 1995. During the 1992-93 season, Triano also served as an assistant coach for the Canadian national team, and in the 1993-94 season, he coached the Canadian junior national team.
In 1995, following the NBA's expansion into Canada, Triano became the director of public relations for the Vancouver Grizzlies and also served as a color commentator for the team's radio broadcasts. In 1999, Triano was named head coach of the Canadian national team, leading them to a seventh-place finish at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.
In 2002, Triano was named an assistant coach for the Toronto Raptors, serving on the coaching staffs of Lenny Wilkens, Kevin O'Neill, and Sam Mitchell. In 2005, Triano was replaced as national team coach by Leo Rautins. Following the 2008 Olympics, Triano was named an assistant coach for Team USA.
On December 3, 2008, Triano was named interim head coach of the Toronto Raptors after the firing of Sam Mitchell, becoming the first Canadian coach in NBA history. Although he failed to lead the team to the playoffs in the 2008-09 season, Triano was given a three-year contract on May 12, 2009.
