Entire Inaugural Coaching Staff Returns To The Winnipeg Sea Bears
WINNIPEG - The Winnipeg Sea Bears announced Wednesday that their entire 2023 coaching staff will return for the 2024 season. The six specialists will resume their roles under head coach and general manager Mike Taylor after helping the team to a West-leading 12-8 record in its inaugural season.
Winnipeg’s Mike Raimbault will re-join the team as an assistant coach after leading his University of Winnipeg Wesmen men’s team to a Canada West silver medal and the U SPORTS elite eight in both 2023 and 2024. Raimbault, a product of Brandon, MB, was a standout for the Bobcats before making his coaching debut there. He also earned a CCAA championship and CCAA Coach of the Year award in 2010 with the University of Northern British Columbia.
Ryan Thomson out of the University of Lakehead (Thunder Bay) is poised to pick up where he left off with the Sea Bears last season. The assistant coach and assistant general manager has led the Lakehead Thunderwolves program for six years and spent time under Taylor with the then-Fraser Valley Bandits before coming to Winnipeg for the team’s inaugural season.
The team’s analytics coach is William Gatchalian, who has made a name for himself in the Canada Basketball high performance program. Gatchalian spends his winters with the Brock Badgers men’s team, most recently seeing a promotion to lead assistant coach.
Josh Reddy will return to oversee operations and video coordination for the team. Reddy has also spent time with Canada Basketball and won back-to-back Canada West titles as an assistant for the Victoria Vikes. Most recently, Reddy made the move to Winnipeg full time to assist Raimbault with the Winnipeg Wesmen.
Tevin Juwan Brown will return to Winnipeg to head up the team’s player development program. Brown has been the lead video coordinator and player development coach with the Texas Legends of the NBA G League since 2022. Brown has trained several NBA athletes, such as Buddy Hield and Julius Randle.
“I absolutely love our coaching staff and am both thankful and excited to have everyone back on board for Sea Bears season two. We came together quickly last year and worked together extremely well. We are now focused to push our team to the next level,” said Taylor.
“I believe strongly in our coaching staff and enjoy the daily activities with them. We love to see our Sea Bears players develop, but I also love to see our coaches develop. We have a lot to look forward to and a lot to work for and I am looking forward to take on the challenge of CEBL 2024 with our outstanding Sea Bears coaching staff.”
The Sea Bears open training camp Monday, May 13 at Sport Manitoba in Winnipeg before they head to Saskatchewan to take on the Rattlers on May 22. The team’s home opener is slated for May 24 at Canada Life Centre against the defending CEBL champions, the Scarborough Shooting Stars.
About the Winnipeg Sea Bears
The Winnipeg Sea Bears joined the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) as an expansion franchise in 2023. The city's only professional basketball team plays out of Canada Life Centre from May to August in a 20-game regular season schedule. Winnipeg businessman and lawyer, David Asper, is the organization's owner and chairman.
More information on the Sea Bears can be found at seabears.ca and @wpgseabears on Instagram, X, TikTok, LinkedIn & Facebook.
About the CEBL
A league created by Canadians for Canadians with a mission to develop Canadian players, coaches, sports executives, and referees, the CEBL boasts the highest percentage of Canadian players of any pro league in the country with 73% of its 2023 rosters being Canadian. Players bring experience from the NBA, NBA G League, top international pro leagues, the Canadian National team program, and top NCAA programs as well as U SPORTS. Fourteen players have signed NBA contracts following a CEBL season, and numerous CEBL players attend NBA G League training camps every year. The CEBL season runs from May through August.
More information about the CEBL is available at CEBL.ca and @cebleague on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook & YouTube.