Kissi taking year off as Brock hoops coach
Five-year Badgers coaching veteran will work as an assistant with Raptors 905
Call it a busman’s holiday, basketball style.
Brock University men’s basketball head coach Charles Kissi will be taking a year off from being the Badgers bench boss.
He won’t be stepping away from the game, however. Kissi, who guided Brock to a fifth-place finish at the Canadian championships and leading the team to a school-record 23 wins in the regular season, will assist Raptors 905 head coach Jama Mahlalela with the Toronto Raptors’ NBA G League affiliate next season.
The move is regarded as another step in Kissi’s development as a coach.
“Anyone who knows me and my coaching style knows I’m constantly trying to get better,” said Kissi, who compiled a 21-23 record in two seasons as head coach of the Ryerson women’s basketball team.
“This is just part of that professional development process, but I’ve just been fortunate to do that through the Toronto Raptors.”
Kissi’s involvement with the
NBA team dates back to attending a coaching open house in
2011. A year spent being mentored by former Raptors head coach Dwane Casey, now Detroit Pistons bench boss, had Kissi attending practices and film sessions, as well as travelling with the team during summer league and training camp.
“I’ve always credited the Raptors as being a big part of my development and that’s without being completely 100 per cent immersed in it,” he said. “I’m looking forward to being at that level full time.”
Kissi worked alongside Mahlalela, who was recently named head coach of the 905 team recently after serving as a Raptors assistant since 2013.
“I think the work Charles has done with Brock has been tremendous,” Mahlalela said. “He’ll be a key cog in my staff with many responsibilities I’ll be leaning on him for advice.
“His time at Brock and his experience as a head coach is something I’ll be tapping into.”
Kissi is stepping away as Brock men’s coach and manager of basketball operations with the university’s blessing.
“Professional development is something we value greatly here at Brock University, and we know that both Charles as a coach and the basketball program as a whole will greatly benefit as a result of this,” said Brian Hutchings, vice-president of administration.
Brock has yet to select an interim head coach for the 2018-19 season, but Kissi is confident he’s leaving the team in good shape. Last season the Badgers won a record 23 games and advanced to the national championships for the first time since winning it all
‘‘ “His time at Brock and his experience as a head coach is something I’ll be tapping into.”
JAMA MAHLALELA
Raptors 905 head coach
10 years ago.
“My job when I came in here was to leave it better than when I found it, even if I’m just leaving for a short time,” said Kissi, whose Brock teams have compiled a 60-43 record during the regular season in his five years at the team’s helm.
“My plan has always been to step away when the program is healthy. It’s not my program, I’m just the caretaker of it.”