Keizer man now an NBA Coach
Ryan Schmidt is an assistant for the Atlanta Hawks, and their G-League Head Man
When Ryan Schmidt was playing basketball at Keizer’s McNary High School in the early 2000s, he dreamed of playing in the NBA. Schmidt then moved on to play college hoops, first at Hawaii, then Western Oregon. It was at the end of his college career, that young Ryan realized he could become a very good coach—and so he adjusted his dream and went after it.
Schmidt put his time in—first coaching prep basketball both in programs on the East Coast, and also in his local community with a short stint at North Salem High School.
He moved on to the pros with an assistant’s job in the NBA’s G-League for Toronto over five years, and as head coach for the Canadian Elite Hamilton Honey Badgers team where he won most of the time, and received coach of the year honors for his efforts.
Most recently, Ryan moved across the pond to Great Britain, where he was the head of the London Lions professional team. He guided the squad to three different championships during his single season at the helm this past winter, capturing more coaching honors while moving the Lions into the European basketball post season—a first for any team from Great Britain.
Schmidt and his wife and daughter were happy in London and enjoyed their lives there. All seemed steady and secure.
Then the National Basketball Association came calling.
Ryan’s name had popped up in conversation as a professional on the rise—a coach to watch and perhaps hire. He got a couple of calls. The Golden State Warriors were interested, as were the Atlanta Hawks. Ryan listened.
Golden State was insistent that Schmidt should be their head coach for their G-League team. Atlanta also wanted him for the G-League, but not just only that position—but also as a bona-fide assistant coach for the NBA’s Hawks.
Schmidt says he began talking about jobs in June. For Atlanta, head coach Quin Snyder actually started communicating with Ryan in January via phone and text. They chatted about coaching philosophy and the other internal and intangible bits and pieces that make for a successful basketball squad. They talked some more while at Summer Rookie League games in Las Vegas.
The offers were on the table. Golden State with a clear-cut G-League head coaching offer for their franchise in Santa Cruz. Atlanta’s G-League coaching stint at College Park also included the title and support as a developmental assistant coach with the big-league Hawks.
Ryan says the extra incentive of an NBA assistant coaching title was intriguing to him and ultimately, he took it.
“I will be fully involved with the (Hawks) coaching staff, including Quin Snyder,” says Schmidt.
“My role in Atlanta is as an assistant.”
Ryan and his bride packed up their daughter and moved back across the Atlantic Ocean a week or so ago. They found a home, and are in the process of moving in completely.
The coaching craziness begins late next week, when the Atlanta staff begins their coaching retreat. That will be followed over time by Optional Team Activities (OTAs), and then gearing up for the NBA season with preseason and then early league games. Then will come the G-League start-up for Schmidt and his staff.
During dates where the G-League and NBA teams are both in Atlanta, Ryan will be decidedly busy with not only G-League duties as head coach, but also with expected practice and coaching stints as an assistant with the Hawks.
It will be an extra load of responsibility, but for Schmidt, the additional work isn’t a burden, but an opportunity that spurred him to decide on the Atlanta job over Golden State weeks ago.
“Going through that process, it shined a light on how rare an opportunity this is in Atlanta.”
Keizer’s Ryan Schmidt is back in America to coach professional basketball, and he couldn’t be happier.
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I coached Ryan in 6th grade boys club basketball. I guess now you know why he has been so successful.🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂
For those of us who watched Ryan as a KYBA and McNary basketball product, this is not surprising. His passion for the gym, and the game has always been palpable. He was, and I’m sure still is an avid student of the game. Atlanta got a winner, for sure. Good luck Schmitty. Nice article, Mark.