Weber State University Athletics
Kaleb Canales named Weber State men’s basketball head coach
4/3/2026 9:31:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Canales comes to Weber State with more than 25 years of coaching experience, including 18 seasons in the NBA.
OGDEN - A new era of Weber State men's basketball has officially begun. Weber State Athletics has named Kaleb Canales as the new head coach of the Wildcat men's basketball program.
Canales is the 11th head coach in the program's Division I history and arrives in Ogden with nearly two decades of NBA coaching experience. He also spent last season as the associate head coach at Troy, where he helped lead the team to the NCAA Tournament.
"I am truly honored and humbled to be named the head coach of Weber State men's basketball," Canales said. "I want to thank President Leslie Durham and Director of Athletics Tim Crompton for their belief in me and my vision for this program.
"We will build a culture that is connected on both ends of the floor, connected in the classroom, and connected to the community. This is a program with a proud tradition, a world-class institution, and a passionate fan base. I'm ready to get to work."
"Weber State basketball is defined by a rich history of excellence, and we were determined to find a leader who respects that legacy while possessing the modern vision to elevate it," Crompton said. "Kaleb is an exceptional person and a world-class tactical mind who is widely regarded across the industry as a premier mentor and developer of talent.
"Following a national search involving an outstanding pool of candidates, I am grateful for our committee's hard work and the partnership of Jeff Schemmell with College Sports Solutions. Kaleb's extensive background at the highest levels of the game, combined with his elite ability to evaluate and recruit talent, makes him an outstanding fit for our program. His infectious energy will resonate deeply with our fans, and we are thrilled to welcome Kaleb, Cristi, and their family to the Wildcat family."
In his lone season at Troy, Canales helped guide the Trojans to a 22–12 record, capturing both the Sun Belt regular-season and tournament championships, and earning a berth in the NCAA Tournament.
A native of Laredo, Texas, Canales began his coaching career in 2001 as a high school assistant coach before moving to the collegiate ranks at UT Arlington for the 2003-04 season, where he helped lead the Mavericks to a Southland Conference title.
He then embarked on an 18-year career in the NBA, beginning with the Portland Trail Blazers in 2005 as a video intern. He was promoted to video coordinator, then to assistant coach in 2009.
In 2012, he served as the Trail Blazers' interim head coach for 23 games and became the first Hispanic head coach in NBA history. He also served as Portland's head coach in the NBA Summer League.
Canales then spent five seasons as an assistant coach with the Dallas Mavericks (2013–18), followed by two years with the New York Knicks and one season with the Indiana Pacers.
In 2023, he was named associate head coach of the Texas Legends in the NBA G League. He also served as head coach of the Calgary Surge in the Canadian Elite Basketball League.
"I'm very excited to welcome K to the Weber State family," said Weber State General Manager and NBA superstar Damian Lillard. "A major change like this is hard for me as someone so connected to the program through coach Rahe and coach Duft's tenure. As GM, my goal is to help build the program to a high level, and someone with coaching experience at all levels, like Kaleb, is perfect for that."
Canales, 47, has also been an active participant in the NBA's Basketball Without Borders program and has served as associate head coach of the Mexico Men's National Team since 2021.
He earned his bachelor's degree in Kinesiology from UT Arlington in 2001 and a master's degree in Sports Leadership from Virginia Commonwealth in 2005.
He and his wife Cristi, have a son, Bauer, and a daughter, Sloane.
Canales is the 11th head coach in the program's Division I history and arrives in Ogden with nearly two decades of NBA coaching experience. He also spent last season as the associate head coach at Troy, where he helped lead the team to the NCAA Tournament.
"I am truly honored and humbled to be named the head coach of Weber State men's basketball," Canales said. "I want to thank President Leslie Durham and Director of Athletics Tim Crompton for their belief in me and my vision for this program.
"We will build a culture that is connected on both ends of the floor, connected in the classroom, and connected to the community. This is a program with a proud tradition, a world-class institution, and a passionate fan base. I'm ready to get to work."
"Weber State basketball is defined by a rich history of excellence, and we were determined to find a leader who respects that legacy while possessing the modern vision to elevate it," Crompton said. "Kaleb is an exceptional person and a world-class tactical mind who is widely regarded across the industry as a premier mentor and developer of talent.
"Following a national search involving an outstanding pool of candidates, I am grateful for our committee's hard work and the partnership of Jeff Schemmell with College Sports Solutions. Kaleb's extensive background at the highest levels of the game, combined with his elite ability to evaluate and recruit talent, makes him an outstanding fit for our program. His infectious energy will resonate deeply with our fans, and we are thrilled to welcome Kaleb, Cristi, and their family to the Wildcat family."
In his lone season at Troy, Canales helped guide the Trojans to a 22–12 record, capturing both the Sun Belt regular-season and tournament championships, and earning a berth in the NCAA Tournament.
A native of Laredo, Texas, Canales began his coaching career in 2001 as a high school assistant coach before moving to the collegiate ranks at UT Arlington for the 2003-04 season, where he helped lead the Mavericks to a Southland Conference title.
He then embarked on an 18-year career in the NBA, beginning with the Portland Trail Blazers in 2005 as a video intern. He was promoted to video coordinator, then to assistant coach in 2009.
In 2012, he served as the Trail Blazers' interim head coach for 23 games and became the first Hispanic head coach in NBA history. He also served as Portland's head coach in the NBA Summer League.
Canales then spent five seasons as an assistant coach with the Dallas Mavericks (2013–18), followed by two years with the New York Knicks and one season with the Indiana Pacers.
In 2023, he was named associate head coach of the Texas Legends in the NBA G League. He also served as head coach of the Calgary Surge in the Canadian Elite Basketball League.
"I'm very excited to welcome K to the Weber State family," said Weber State General Manager and NBA superstar Damian Lillard. "A major change like this is hard for me as someone so connected to the program through coach Rahe and coach Duft's tenure. As GM, my goal is to help build the program to a high level, and someone with coaching experience at all levels, like Kaleb, is perfect for that."
Canales, 47, has also been an active participant in the NBA's Basketball Without Borders program and has served as associate head coach of the Mexico Men's National Team since 2021.
He earned his bachelor's degree in Kinesiology from UT Arlington in 2001 and a master's degree in Sports Leadership from Virginia Commonwealth in 2005.
He and his wife Cristi, have a son, Bauer, and a daughter, Sloane.
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