LEGENDS ANNOUNCE 2023-24 COACHING STAFF
Britney Wynn /October 9, 2023
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FRISCO, TX, (Oct. 9, 2023) - The Texas Legends have announced their coaching and basketball operations staff for the 2023-24 season. Led by general manager Terry Sullivan and head coach Jordan Sears, both in their first season with the team, the staff includes both new and returning members. Kaleb Canales (associate head coach) and Parker Hines (assistant coach) will make their debut on the Legends’ bench while Cam Black and Tevin Brown return to Frisco for their third and second seasons respectively.
Former Legends forward Cory Jefferson will join the staff as a coaching associate alongside Drew Seifert. Jonathon Gryniewicz and Parker Lovett will also be returning in new roles as Gryniewicz was promoted to senior director of basketball operations and Lovett to basketball operations coordinator. Leo Clibanoff makes his professional debut with the Legends as a basketball operations associate. The Legends also see the return of their full medical staff department led by head athletic trainer Ashley Rudolph with Meg Dodge as strength and conditioning coach and Thomas Suh as assistant trainer.
“We have put together a staff that values winning, player development, growth, and community,” said Mavericks Director of Player Personnel and Legends General Manager Terry Sullivan. “From a variety of backgrounds with a wide array of experience, they’re all here to help us reach our goals of developing players, coaches, and staff in Frisco that can ultimately contribute to the success of the Mavericks. Every one of them was chosen for a reason and brings unique skills and talents to the team.”
Canales served as an assistant coach in the NBA from 2008-21 with the Portland Trail Blazers, Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks, and Indiana Pacers. A native Texan, Canales graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington where he later went on to be an assistant coach. He got his start in the NBA in 2005 as a video intern for the Trail Blazers, working his way up to assistant coach. In 2012, he was named interim head coach of the team, becoming the first Mexican-American coach in NBA history and at 34, the youngest active head coach in the NBA.
Hines played college basketball at Augsburg University before beginning his coaching career in youth sports. In 2016, the Lakeville, MN native joined the San Antonio Spurs where he would spend 5 seasons, most recently as an assistant coach for their G League affiliate in Austin. He spent the past two seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers as head video coordinator and player development coach.
Jefferson makes his coaching staff debut with his former team after seven professional seasons in the NBA, G League, and overseas. The former Baylor Bear was selected by the San Antonio Spurs in the 2nd round of the 2014 draft. A 6-9 forward, Jefferson was traded on draft night to Brooklyn and went on to play 58 games with the Nets and Phoenix Suns from 2014-16. He was later named an NBA D-League All-Star as a member of the Austin Spurs.
Seifert joins the Legends after spending a season with the Greensboro Swarm as a basketball operations associate. The Auburn Hills, MI native got his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Michigan State where he was a student manager for the men’s basketball team.
Clibanoff was the manager for the varsity boys basketball team at Lower Merion High School in Ardmore, PA prior to attending Wesleyan University. While studying at Wesleyan, Clibanoff served as a student assistant coach for the men’s basketball team.
“Our staff has been hard at work already and we are excited to see the group come together,” said Legends Head Coach Jordan Sears. “We’ve got a great team of people who are ready to work hard towards our common goals and we’re looking forward to playing in front of the best fans in the league.”
The Legends open the 2023-24 season at home, hosting the Oklahoma City Blue Nov. 10th and 11th at 7:30pm. For tickets or information call 214-469-0822 or visit www.TexLegends.com.
Legends Basketball Operations Staff
General Manager……………………………………………….……Terry Sullivan
Head Coach ................................................................Jordan Sears
Associate Head Coach ................................................Kaleb Canales
Assistant Coach……………………………………………….………Cam Black
Assistant Coach…………………………………………………….…Parker Hines
Video Coordinator/Player Development Coach……….Tevin Brown
Coaching Associate………………………………………………….Cory Jefferson
Coaching Associate………………………………………………….Drew Seifert
Senior Director, Basketball Operations…………..……….Jonathon Gryniewicz
Basketball Operations Coordinator……………….…………Parker Lovett
Basketball Operations Associate………………………………Leo Clibanoff
Athletic Trainer………………………………………………….…...Ashley Rudolph
Assistant Athletic Trainer…………………………………..……Thomas Suh
Strength and Conditioning Coach…………………….………Meg Dodge
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