Surge Hire Former NBA Head Coach Canales
46-year-old Texas native becomes first CEBL coach with NBA head coaching experience
The Calgary Surge of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced Thursday that Kaleb Canales, current Associate Head Coach of the Dallas Mavericks’ NBA G League affiliate Texas Legends, has been named the club’s Head Coach for the 2025 season. The story was first broken by Senior NBA Insider Chris Haynes.
Canales joins the Surge with a rich history coaching in the world’s top professional league, the National Basketball Association (NBA). Canales began his professional coaching career as an Assistant Coach with the Portland Trail Blazers, eventually serving as the team’s interim Head Coach for 23 games during the 2011-12 season. The promotion made him the youngest active Head Coach in the NBA and the first Mexican American coach in league history.
“We could not be more excited to have such an experienced and talented individual like Coach Canales join our team this season. Rosters in the CEBL experience substantial turnover each season and that has emboldened our organization to approach coaching recruitment quite differently than other teams,” said Surge General Manager, Shane James.
The Surge’s Basketball Operations Leadership Team consists of Vice-Chairman & President, Jason Ribeiro, General Manager, Shane James, and Senior Vice President, Dylan Howe with support from Senior Advisor, Steve Konchalksi.
“I am honoured to join the Calgary Surge, an organization whose commitment to excellence and core values align with my own. Throughout this entire recruitment process, the basketball operations leadership of the Surge was among the best I’ve encountered in professional basketball,” said Surge Head Coach Kaleb Canales.
“Thank you to the city of Calgary for welcoming my family and I with open arms. Our coaching staff and our players will build on the success of two straight Championship Weekend appearances and look to get the job done in Year Three,” concluded Coach Canales.
During his tenure in Portland, Canales was integral in the development of Damian Lillard, who earned NBA Rookie of the Year honors under Canales’ tutelage.
“Playing for [Coach Canales] was great for me as I entered the league because of how genuine he is as a man first. The support, the challenges, the direction, the love, the care, the time, and the belief really meant a lot to me as I transitioned [into the NBA]," said NBA Cup Champion, 8x NBA All Star, & NBA 75th Anniversary Team Member, Damian Lillard of the Milwaukee Bucks.
In 2013, Canales left Portland to become an Assistant Coach with the Dallas Mavericks under NBA Champion and Coach of the Year Rick Carlisle. In Dallas, he coached Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki to two All-Star selections.
“Kaleb works hard to create a positive environment in the gym each and every day. His energy and passion get the most out of his players and puts them in a position to succeed," commented NBA Champion, 14x NBA All Star, & NBA 75th Anniversary Team Member, Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks.
After five seasons in Dallas, Canales then worked as an Assistant Coach for the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers, before returning to the Mavericks organization.
In addition to his roles in the NBA and NBA G League, Canales’ commitment to growing the game internationally has been consistent throughout his career. He has spent several summers abroad helping run the NBA’s Basketball Without Borders camps and continues to serve as the Associate Head Coach of the Mexican Men’s National Team since 2021.
Fans can now purchase 4, 6, and 8-ticket Flex Plans to the highly anticipated 2025 "TRILOGY" Season of the Calgary Surge, which begins in May by visiting https://www.calgarysurge.ca/flex-plans.
About the Calgary Surge
The Calgary Surge tipped off their inaugural season at WinSport Event Centre in May 2023, after originating the Guelph Nighthawks, one of the founding members of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL). From day one, the Surge have been committed to being the Home Team for Calgary and a space where everyone is welcome.
The Calgary Surge are active members of the community and have participated in a few hundred events (and counting) around the city that connect the team with diverse communities through sport, entertainment, and arts and culture. Over two seasons, the Surge have made back-to-back CEBL Championship Weekend appearances, were crowned Western Conference Champions in 2023, hold the league’s single game attendance record, and have sent over 4000 deserving kids and families to their games for free. Fans can expect even more excitement for 2025! For more information, visit
www.calgarysurge.ca.
About the Canadian Elite Basketball League
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 75% of its rosters being Canadian and a record 12 players with NBA experience in 2024. Players also bring experience from the NBA G League, top international pro leagues, the Canadian National team program, NCAA programs, as well as U SPORTS and CCAA. More than 20 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 with games broadcast live on CEBL+ powered by BetVictor, TSN, TSN+, RDS, Game+, Next Level Sports & Entertainment and Courtside1891. More information about the CEBL is available at CEBL.ca and @cebleague on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook & YouTube.
