Jay Triano
Jay Triano walked onto the floor at the Air Canada Centre on the 13th of February 2008. He was filling in for head coach Sam Mitchell, who was away after the death of his father-in-law. Toronto beat the New Jersey Nets 109-91 that night. The result made Triano the first Canadian to serve as head coach for a regular-season NBA game. He would take that job permanently before the year was out, and again in Phoenix nearly a decade later. What carried a kid from small-town Ontario onto NBA sidelines, and why did both of his head coaching stints end the same way?
Triano was born on the 21st of September 1958 in Tillsonburg, Ontario. He was raised in Niagara Falls, Ontario, where he attended A. N. Myer Secondary School. His family's Italian roots trace to a great-grandfather who landed on Ellis Island before settling in Welland, Ontario.
Jeff Triano, his younger brother, played junior hockey for the Toronto Marlboros in the OHL. The Toronto Maple Leafs picked Jeff in the 1982 NHL entry draft. Brady Heslip, son of Triano's sister Jody, later played basketball at Baylor University. Heslip also suited up for the Canada national team, following an athletic path close to his uncle's own.
At Simon Fraser University, the 6 ft 4 in, 194 lb Triano broke or equalled eleven school basketball records. He finished with 2,616 career points, the most in the program's history. At Simon Fraser he also struck up a friendship with fellow Canadian athlete and activist Terry Fox.
The Los Angeles Lakers picked Triano in the eighth round of the 1981 NBA draft. He was cut during training camp and never played in the league. That same year, the Calgary Stampeders also drafted him, in the sixth round of the 1981 CFL draft.
From 1977 to 1988, Triano played for Canada's national team, captaining the squad from 1981 onward. He appeared at both the 1984 and the 1988 Olympics.
At the 1983 World University Games in Edmonton, Alberta, Triano led Canada to gold. Canada beat a United States team fronted by Karl Malone and Charles Barkley in the semi-finals. In the final, Canada defeated a Yugoslav side led by Dražen Petrović.
Professionally, Triano played three seasons overseas. Two came in Mexico, and one, the 1985-86 season, came with Fenerbahçe Istanbul in Turkey. That stretch ended in 1988, when Triano retired as a player for good.
Simon Fraser named Triano its head coach, and one of his first targets was recruiting high school star Steve Nash, whom he later mentored.
The NBA's Vancouver Grizzlies debuted in 1995. Triano joined as team director of community relations and called their radio broadcasts as colour commentator.
By 1998, Triano was head coach of Canada's men's national team. He guided a Nash-led roster to a 5-2 record and seventh place at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. That run ended with a five-point loss to France in the quarter-finals.
In 2002, Triano joined the Toronto Raptors as an assistant coach. He became only the second Canadian-born coach in NBA history. He served in turn under Lenny Wilkens, Kevin O'Neill, and Sam Mitchell.
In 2004, Triano was let go as head coach of the national team. He was replaced the following year by Leo Rautins.
In 2008, Triano was named an assistant coach for the United States national team.
On the 3rd of December 2008, Toronto named him interim head coach after relieving Sam Mitchell of his duties. Triano became the first Canadian-born head coach in NBA history, and the first Canadian head coach in NBA history. He guided the Raptors to a 25-40 mark for the rest of that season.
On the 12th of May 2009, the Raptors gave Triano a three-year deal to stay on as head coach.
In his first full season, 2009-10, Toronto missed the playoffs by a single game to the Chicago Bulls. The team closed 2-5 over its final seven games and finished 40-42.
Without All-Star Chris Bosh on the roster in 2010-11, Triano's Raptors slid to a 22-60 record.
On the 1st of June 2011, Toronto declined its option on Triano's contract. The team kept him on as vice-president of pro scouting, a post that led to his next NBA stop.
On the 17th of August 2012, the Portland Trail Blazers hired Triano as an assistant coach. Within the week, he was also named head coach of Canada's national team for the second time in his career.
On the 27th of July 2016, the Phoenix Suns brought Triano on as associate head coach.
On the 22nd of October 2017, the Suns fired head coach Earl Watson after an 0-3 start to the season. That stretch included one of the worst losses in franchise history and the worst opening loss in NBA history. Phoenix then promoted Triano to interim head coach.
On the 23rd of October, Triano coached his first game as a head coach since 2011. Phoenix had suffered 40-plus-point losses earlier that season, but built a lead as large as 22 points against the Sacramento Kings. The Suns won 117-115 for their first victory of the season.
On the 26th of December 2017, a 99-97 win over the Memphis Grizzlies made Triano the first foreign-born head coach in NBA history to reach 100 career wins.
Phoenix still finished that season 21-58 under his tenure. The Suns did not bring him back as head coach afterward.
On the 2nd of July 2018, the Charlotte Hornets hired Triano as an assistant coach.
On the 12th of August 2022, the Sacramento Kings brought him on in the same capacity.
Triano was promoted to associate head coach after the 2023-24 season. That followed Jordi Fernández's departure to become head coach of the Brooklyn Nets.
On the 3rd of May 2025, the Kings fired Triano from that associate head coach post.
On the 14th of June 2025, the Dallas Mavericks added Triano to their coaching staff under head coach Jason Kidd.
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Common questions
When was Jay Triano born?
Jay Triano was born on the 21st of September 1958, in Tillsonburg, Ontario. He was raised in Niagara Falls, Ontario, and attended A. N. Myer Secondary School.
What college did Jay Triano play basketball for?
Jay Triano played at Simon Fraser University, where he broke or equalled eleven school basketball records and finished with 2,616 career points, the most in program history.
Why is Jay Triano considered a milestone figure in NBA coaching history?
Jay Triano became the first Canadian-born head coach in NBA history when the Toronto Raptors named him interim head coach on the 3rd of December 2008. He later became the first foreign-born head coach in NBA history to reach 100 career wins, with a 99-97 win over the Memphis Grizzlies on the 26th of December 2017.
What is Jay Triano's career NBA head coaching record?
Jay Triano's career NBA head coaching record is 108 wins and 200 losses over 308 games, split between stints with the Toronto Raptors and the Phoenix Suns.
Which NBA teams has Jay Triano worked for as a coach?
Jay Triano has worked for the Toronto Raptors, Phoenix Suns, Portland Trail Blazers, Charlotte Hornets, Sacramento Kings, and Dallas Mavericks, serving as both a head coach and an assistant across those organizations.
Did Jay Triano play in the Olympics?
Yes, Jay Triano played for Canada's national team at both the 1984 and 1988 Olympics. He also captained the national team from 1981 to 1988 and led Canada to gold at the 1983 World University Games in Edmonton, Alberta.
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21 references cited across the entry
- 7Steve Nash, Jay Triano: Basketball relationship endures two decades laterDoug Smith — August 25, 2012
- 8Canada Gives U.S. Unlikely AssistPete Thamel — August 27, 2010
- 11Head Coach Terry Stotts Adds Three Coaches To His StaffAugust 17, 2012
- 12Jay Triano named Canadian men's basketball coachAugust 23, 2012
- 13Suns Announce Complete 2016-17 Coaching StaffJuly 27, 2016
- 14Suns Relieve Earl Watson of Head Coaching DutiesTony Gautier — October 22, 2017
- 15Suns Agree to Terms with Igor Kokoškov To Become New Head CoachMatt Petersen — May 2, 2018
- 16Charlotte Hornets announce 2018 coaching staffJuly 2, 2018
- 17Kings Announce Coaching Staff for 2022-23 SeasonAugust 12, 2022
- 18Kings Announce Coaching Staff UpdatesSeptember 9, 2024
- 21Jay Triano, Frank Vogel, Popeye Jones, Mike Penberthy, Jordan Sears, Eric Hughes, Keith Veney, and Dru Anthrop are among the Dallas Mavericks' assistant coaches departing.July 6, 2026