After a successful season leading Kyoto Hannaryz to their best record since 2016-17, Roy Rana's departure marks the end of his era in the club. Kyoto has already lined up its successor, signaling a new chapter for the B League club, per BasketNews sources.
Former Sacramento Kings assistant coach and Canada national team head coach Roy Rana left his position with Kyoto Hannaryz in Japan's B.League. According to BasketNews sources, Tsutomu Isa is expected to take over the head coaching duties in Kyoto following Rana's departure.
Isa previously guided the Ryukyu Golden Kings to two BJ League titles in 2014 and 2016, before the competition merged to form the B League.
Most recently, Isa coached Fukui Blowinds, who competed in Japan's second division this season.
Rana joined Kyoto Hannaryz in 2022 and made an impact in three seasons.
Under his leadership, the team improved, from a 25% win rate before his arrival to a 55% win rate in his third season (33-27) — the franchise's best record since the 2016-17 season.
Now 56, the Canadian coach is in discussions with several NBA and European teams and national teams regarding potential coaching opportunities, sources tell BasketNews.
Rana has a diverse coaching resume. He joined the Sacramento Kings as an assistant coach under Luke Walton in 2019, remaining in that role until 2022. That same year, he took over as head coach of the Egypt national team.
Rana has also played a significant role in Canadian basketball. He led Canada's Senior Men's National Team during the 2019 FIBA World Cup Americas Qualifiers, guiding the squad to a first-place finish in the group, securing a spot in the 2019 FIBA World Cup.
In 2017, Rana made history by leading Canada to its first-ever FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup title, defeating the USA in a semifinal. From 2009 to 2017, he guided Canadian youth teams to six medals.
Rana was an assistant coach for the German national team during the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
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Donatas Urbonas
Donatas Urbonas is an award-winning Lithuanian basketball journalist, recognized as the best sports journalist in Lithuania in 2016 and the top basketball journalist in 2018. A Vilnius University journalism graduate, Urbonas has reported on major global sports events, including the Rio 2016 and Paris 2024 Olympics, FIBA World Cups, EuroBaskets, NBA Summer League, and NBA Draft.
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