Jay Triano
Encyclopedia
Jay Triano is a retired Canadian
professional basketball
player and former head coach
of the NBA
's Toronto Raptors
. Triano gained recognition during his tenure as coach of the Canadian men's national team. He is also a former national team player, who competed in two Olympics, starting in 1984
. He was born in Tillsonburg, Ontario
and raised in Niagara Falls, Ontario
.
Triano is of Italian
descent through his great-grandfather, who landed on Ellis Island
, then made his way to Welland, Ontario
. His younger brother Jeff was a draft pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs
in the 1982 NHL Entry Draft
after playing OHL
hockey for the Toronto Marlboros
.
, Triano broke or equalled eleven school men's basketball records, including having the most career points with 2,616. He was drafted in the eighth round of the 1981 NBA Draft
by the Los Angeles Lakers
, but never played in the NBA. The same year, he was also drafted by the Calgary Stampeders
in the sixth round of the CFL
Draft.
Triano was a national team player from 1978 to 1988, captained the team from 1981 to 1988, and played in the 1984
and 1988 Olympics
. He led the Canadian team that won Gold at the 1983 World University Games in Edmonton
, Alberta
. He played three seasons of professional basketball, two in Mexico
and one (1985–86 season for Fenerbahçe Istanbul
) in Turkey
.
After retiring as a player, he became head coach at his alma mater, Simon Fraser University
in 1988. In 1995, when the Vancouver Grizzlies
debuted, he became team Director of Community Relations and worked as the colour commentator for their radio broadcasts. In 1998, Triano became the head coach of the Canadian national men's basketball team. He led them to a 5–2 record and a seventh-place finish in the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games
, losing to France by just five points in the quarter-finals. Two years later, he became assistant coach for the Toronto Raptors
, becoming the first Canadian-born coach in the NBA. He served under Lenny Wilkens
, Kevin O'Neill
, and Sam Mitchell
. In 2005, he was replaced by Leo Rautins
as the national team coach.
In 2008, Triano was named an assistant coach for USA Basketball
. On February 13, 2008, Triano served as head coach of the Toronto Raptors in their 109–91 victory over the New Jersey Nets
, in place of head coach Sam Mitchell who was absent from the team as a result of the passing of his father-in-law, making history as the first Canadian to serve as head coach for a regular-season NBA game.
On December 3, 2008, Triano was named interim head coach of the Toronto Raptors after Sam Mitchell
was relieved of his coaching duties. He became the first Canadian-born head coach in NBA history. In the season's last 13 games, Triano guided the Raptors to a 9-4 mark.
On May 12, 2009, Triano was given a three-year deal to remain head coach of the Toronto Raptors.
In Triano's first full season as the Raptors head coach, Toronto missed the playoffs by one game to the Chicago Bulls despite winning their final two games.
On June 1, 2011 the Raptors announced they would not be picking up the option on Triano's contract and would be giving him a different position within the organization.
| align="left" |TOR
| align="left" |
|65||25||40||.385|| align="center" |4th in Atlantic||—||—||—||—
| align="center" |Missed Playoffs
|-
| align="left" |TOR
| align="left" |
|82||40||42||.488|| align="center" |2nd in Atlantic||—||—||—||—
| align="center" |Missed Playoffs
|-
| align="left" |TOR
| align="left" |
|82||22||60||.268|| align="center" |5th in Atlantic||—||—||—||—
| align="center" |Missed Playoffs
|-class="sortbottom"
| align="left" |Career
| ||229||87||142||.380|| ||—||—||—||—
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player and former head coach
Coach (basketball)
Basketball coaching is the act of directing and strategizing the behaviour of a basketball team or individual basketball player. Basketball coaching typically encompasses the improvement of individual and team offensive and defensive skills, as well as overall physical conditioning.Coaching is...
of the NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
's Toronto Raptors
Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's re-expansion...
. Triano gained recognition during his tenure as coach of the Canadian men's national team. He is also a former national team player, who competed in two Olympics, starting in 1984
1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
. He was born in Tillsonburg, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
and raised in Niagara Falls, Ontario
Niagara Falls, Ontario
Niagara Falls is a Canadian city on the Niagara River in the Golden Horseshoe region of Southern Ontario. The municipality was incorporated on June 12, 1903...
.
Triano is of Italian
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
descent through his great-grandfather, who landed on Ellis Island
Ellis Island
Ellis Island in New York Harbor was the gateway for millions of immigrants to the United States. It was the nation's busiest immigrant inspection station from 1892 until 1954. The island was greatly expanded with landfill between 1892 and 1934. Before that, the much smaller original island was the...
, then made his way to Welland, Ontario
Welland, Ontario
Welland is a city in the Regional Municipality of Niagara in Southern Ontario, Canada.The city has been traditionally known as the place where rails and water meet, referring to the railways from Buffalo to Toronto and Southwestern Ontario, and the waterways of Welland Canal and Welland River,...
. His younger brother Jeff was a draft pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
in the 1982 NHL Entry Draft
1982 NHL Entry Draft
The 1982 NHL Entry Draft was held at the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Quebec. The National Hockey League teams selected 252 players eligible for entry into professional ranks, in the reverse order of the 1981–82 NHL season and playoff standings. This is the list of those players...
after playing OHL
Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League is one of the three Major Junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 15-20.The OHL also operates under the Ontario Hockey Federation of Hockey Canada....
hockey for the Toronto Marlboros
Toronto Marlboros
The Toronto Marlborough Athletic Club, commonly known as the Toronto Marlboros, was founded in 1903. It operated a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey Association and Ontario Hockey League from 1904 to 1989...
.
Basketball career
As a student at Simon Fraser UniversitySimon Fraser University
Simon Fraser University is a Canadian public research university in British Columbia with its main campus on Burnaby Mountain in Burnaby, and satellite campuses in Vancouver and Surrey. The main campus in Burnaby, located from downtown Vancouver, was established in 1965 and has more than 34,000...
, Triano broke or equalled eleven school men's basketball records, including having the most career points with 2,616. He was drafted in the eighth round of the 1981 NBA Draft
1981 NBA Draft
The 1981 NBA Draft was the 35th annual draft of the National Basketball Association . The draft was held on June 9, 1981, before the 1981–82 season. The draft was broadcast in the United States on the USA Network. In this draft, 23 NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball...
by the Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, but never played in the NBA. The same year, he was also drafted by the Calgary Stampeders
Calgary Stampeders
The Calgary Stampeders are a Canadian Football League team based in Calgary, Alberta and named in reference to the Calgary Stampede. The Stampeders play their home games at McMahon Stadium...
in the sixth round of the CFL
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
Draft.
Triano was a national team player from 1978 to 1988, captained the team from 1981 to 1988, and played in the 1984
Basketball at the 1984 Summer Olympics
-Group B:-Championship bracket:-Classification brackets:5th–8th Place9th–12th Place-Preliminary Round:...
and 1988 Olympics
Basketball at the 1988 Summer Olympics
Basketball at the 1988 Summer Olympics took place at the Jamsil Gymnasium in Seoul, South Korea. The United States won the gold medal in the women's competition, thus repeating their performance from the 1984 tournament. In the men's tournament, the Soviet Union took home their second gold medal in...
. He led the Canadian team that won Gold at the 1983 World University Games in Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
. He played three seasons of professional basketball, two in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and one (1985–86 season for Fenerbahçe Istanbul
Fenerbahçe Ülker
Fenerbahçe Ülker is the professional men's basketball department of Fenerbahçe S.K., a major multisport club based in Istanbul, Turkey. The department has been sponsored by the Ülker since 2006. In 2006 Fenerbahçe S.K...
) in Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
.
After retiring as a player, he became head coach at his alma mater, Simon Fraser University
Simon Fraser University
Simon Fraser University is a Canadian public research university in British Columbia with its main campus on Burnaby Mountain in Burnaby, and satellite campuses in Vancouver and Surrey. The main campus in Burnaby, located from downtown Vancouver, was established in 1965 and has more than 34,000...
in 1988. In 1995, when the Vancouver Grizzlies
Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies are a professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The team is part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Along with the Toronto Raptors, the Grizzlies were established in 1995 as part of the NBA's...
debuted, he became team Director of Community Relations and worked as the colour commentator for their radio broadcasts. In 1998, Triano became the head coach of the Canadian national men's basketball team. He led them to a 5–2 record and a seventh-place finish in the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games
2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
, losing to France by just five points in the quarter-finals. Two years later, he became assistant coach for the Toronto Raptors
Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's re-expansion...
, becoming the first Canadian-born coach in the NBA. He served under Lenny Wilkens
Lenny Wilkens
Leonard Randolph "Lenny" Wilkens is a retired American basketball player and coach in the NBA...
, Kevin O'Neill
Kevin O'Neill (basketball)
Kevin O'Neill is an American head coach of the USC Trojans basketball team. His personal webpage is www.coachkohoops.com O'Neill was born in Malone, New York and attended McGill University in Montreal, Canada...
, and Sam Mitchell
Sam Mitchell (basketball)
Samuel "Sam" E. Mitchell, Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player and a former head coach in the National Basketball Association . He is currently an assistant coach with the New Jersey Nets....
. In 2005, he was replaced by Leo Rautins
Leo Rautins
Leo R. Rautins is a former professional basketball player, the former head coach of the Canadian national men's basketball team, and an NBA analyst for the Toronto Raptors.Rautins was a star in high school for St...
as the national team coach.
In 2008, Triano was named an assistant coach for USA Basketball
USA Basketball
USA Basketball is a non-profit organization and the governing body for basketball in the United States. The organization represents the United States in FIBA and the men's and women's national basketball teams in the United States Olympic Committee...
. On February 13, 2008, Triano served as head coach of the Toronto Raptors in their 109–91 victory over the New Jersey Nets
New Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, in place of head coach Sam Mitchell who was absent from the team as a result of the passing of his father-in-law, making history as the first Canadian to serve as head coach for a regular-season NBA game.
On December 3, 2008, Triano was named interim head coach of the Toronto Raptors after Sam Mitchell
Sam Mitchell (basketball)
Samuel "Sam" E. Mitchell, Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player and a former head coach in the National Basketball Association . He is currently an assistant coach with the New Jersey Nets....
was relieved of his coaching duties. He became the first Canadian-born head coach in NBA history. In the season's last 13 games, Triano guided the Raptors to a 9-4 mark.
On May 12, 2009, Triano was given a three-year deal to remain head coach of the Toronto Raptors.
In Triano's first full season as the Raptors head coach, Toronto missed the playoffs by one game to the Chicago Bulls despite winning their final two games.
On June 1, 2011 the Raptors announced they would not be picking up the option on Triano's contract and would be giving him a different position within the organization.
Coaching record
|-| align="left" |TOR
| align="left" |
|65||25||40||.385|| align="center" |4th in Atlantic||—||—||—||—
| align="center" |Missed Playoffs
|-
| align="left" |TOR
| align="left" |
|82||40||42||.488|| align="center" |2nd in Atlantic||—||—||—||—
| align="center" |Missed Playoffs
|-
| align="left" |TOR
| align="left" |
|82||22||60||.268|| align="center" |5th in Atlantic||—||—||—||—
| align="center" |Missed Playoffs
|-class="sortbottom"
| align="left" |Career
| ||229||87||142||.380|| ||—||—||—||—
See also
- Toronto RaptorsToronto RaptorsThe Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's re-expansion...
- Canada BasketballCanada BasketballCanada Basketball is a non-profit organization and the governing body for basketball in Canada. This national federation was founded in 1923...
- Canada national men's basketball team
- USA BasketballUSA BasketballUSA Basketball is a non-profit organization and the governing body for basketball in the United States. The organization represents the United States in FIBA and the men's and women's national basketball teams in the United States Olympic Committee...