Former Wilby and Providence basketball star Ryan Gomes has a new title — assistant coach.
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| Ryan Gomes, courtesy of the Los Angeles D-fenders website |
The Long Island Nets announced that Gomes and Pat Rafferty will be assistants to head coach Ronald Nored in a press release today. The Long Island Nets are the Brooklyn Nets’ NBA D-League affiliate. This will be the first season for the Long Island version.
Gomes will be making the transition from D-League player to D-League coach. He spent eight seasons in the NBA, but his last as a professional was in 2015-2016 with the Los Angeles D-fenders. Gomes was a midseason acquisition, and he paid dividends for the D-fenders. The Waterbury native earned Third Team All-D-League and Impact Player of the Year honors. Gomes and the D-fenders nearly won a D-League title, but were thwarted by the Sioux Falls Skyforce.
Gomes averaged 18.2 points and 9.1 rebounds for the D-fenders.
Switching over from player to coach will be a transition, but one Gomes can surely make. He was always a smart player, and he will provide valuable knowledge to the young players in the D-League who are trying to where he spent the better part of a decade.
