Ryan Saunders

Ryan Saunders

Saunders in 2009 as University of Minnesota graduate manager.
Minnesota Timberwolves
Position Assistant coach
League NBA
Personal information
Born (1986-04-28) April 28, 1986
Medina, Minnesota
Nationality American
Career information
High school Wayzata (Plymouth, Minnesota)
College Minnesota (2004–2006)
Coaching career 2009–present
Career history
As coach:
2009–2014 Washington Wizards (asst.)
2014–present Minnesota Timberwolves (asst.)

Ryan Philip Saunders (born April 28, 1986)[1] is an American basketball former player and coach. He is currently an assistant coach for the Minnesota Timberwolves of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is known for his work in player development while with the Wizards staff.[2]

Early life

Born in Medina, Minnesota, Saunders graduated from Wayzata High School in Plymouth, Minnesota in 2004.[3]

College playing career

A walk-on, Saunders played basketball at the University of Minnesota from 2004 to 2008 as a guard. He played only 20 games in his first two seasons in a backup role.[4] Saunders redshirted the 2006–07 season due to a wrist injury and did not play any games in the 2007–08 season.[4] Saunders graduated from Minnesota in 2008 with a bachelor's degree in sport management.[5]

Coaching career

After he achieved his bachelor's degree and finished playing college basketball, Saunders was a graduate manager under Tubby Smith in the 2008–09 season while pursuing a master's degree in applied kinesiology.[6][5]

In 2009, he became an assistant coach for the Washington Wizards. During his time at University of Minnesota, he was responsible for handling the academic and social improvements of players.

Since 2014, he has been an assistant coach for the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Personal life

When Saunders was born, his father Flip Saunders was an assistant coach at the University of Minnesota.[7] Ryan Saunders grew up in Wisconsin and South Dakota, as Flip later worked as head coach for CBA teams in those states, the Rapid City Thrillers (1988–1989), La Crosse Catbirds (1989–1994), and Sioux Falls Skyforce (1994–1995). In 1995, the Saunders family returned to the Minneapolis–Saint Paul area, as Flip Saunders became head coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves, a position he would maintain for the rest of Ryan's childhood.[8]

Saunders has taken part in multiple basketball camps for the youth and charitable organizations in Minnesota.[9]

References

  1. ↑ "Ryan Saunders" (PDF). Minnesota Basketball 2007-08. University of Minnesota. p. 64.
  2. ↑ Ryan Saunders staying in Washington
  3. ↑ http://web.archive.org/web/20060318131321/http://www.gophersports.com/sports/player.asp?player_id=2403&sport_id=mbasket
  4. 1 2 http://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/ryan-saunders-1.html
  5. 1 2 "Ryan Saunders". NBA. 2012. Retrieved April 18, 2015.
  6. ↑ http://web.archive.org/web/20090221192340/http://www.gophersports.com/SportSelect.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=8400&SPID=3302&SPSID=38662
  7. ↑ "Wizards Assistant Coaches". NBA.com. Retrieved 2014-05-03.
  8. ↑ http://www.nba.com/coachfile/flip_saunders/index.html
  9. ↑ Wizards Assistant Coaches
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