The Brampton Honey Badgers announced Monday that head coach Ryan Schmidt has resigned his position with the club due to scheduling conflicts resulting from his role as head coach of the London Lions in the British Basketball League. Schmidt, the 2022 CEBL Coach of the Year, led the Honey Badgers to first place in the regular season standings and to the CEBL Championship last season. In three seasons with the Honey Badgers, he posted an overall record of 28-16 (.636) and reached the playoff semifinals in 2020 and 2022. Player Development is the focus of the Honey Badgers organization, and a remarkable 30 of Schmidt’s players went on to sign pro contracts immediately following their CEBL season under his tutelage. 

“I would like to thank Honey Badgers president John Lashway and general manager Jermaine Anderson for giving me the opportunity to begin my career as a professional head coach and for their support and friendship. It’s rare in pro sports for three people in our roles to work together so well and to share common beliefs about organizational culture and values,” Schmidt said. “I would like to thank our players, coaches and staff that have made the past three years so enjoyable and unforgettable. They’re exceptional people. And I would like to thank the CEBL and its staff for providing a platform where coaches and players can further develop to reach their next level. This has been an incredible experience for which I will always be grateful.”

Schmidt is in his second season with the London Lions and already has earned BBL Coach of the Month honours for September/October, December and January. His team has been tops in the league all season and won the midseason BBL Cup on January 29. Schmidt joined the Lions in a player development capacity during the 2021-22 season and was appointed head coach July 4, 2022. London is playing in the prestigious EuroCup for the first time in 2022-23 and is considered one of the up-and-coming organizations in all of European basketball.

“I am grateful to have had the opportunity to work alongside Ryan Schmidt for the past three years, and while it’s difficult to lose someone I value a great deal as a colleague and as a friend, I have a tremendous amount of pride in the success he is having in Europe and will be among his biggest fans wherever he takes his career,” said Lashway. “Ryan’s professionalism, humility, personal values, and dedication to helping others reach their potential is unsurpassed. I felt strongly when I hired Ryan that there is no ceiling to his potential, and his success with the Honey Badgers and now in Europe is a prelude to a brilliant future.”

Lashway will conduct an international search for Schmidt’s replacement. Schmidt was named the second head coach in franchise history on May 12, 2020, following Chantal Vallée who led Hamilton to a 10-10 record and an appearance in the CEBL Championship game during the league’s inaugural season in 2019.

Schmidt had been an assistant coach with the Toronto Raptors G League affiliate, Raptors 905, for three seasons before being named head coach of the Honey Badgers. His work with Raptors 905 resulted in numerous players being promoted to the NBA and two players (Chris Boucher, Jordan Loyd) being named to the All-NBA G League Team. Since May 2017, Schmidt has organized and led workouts with members of Canada Basketball’s Junior and Senior Men’s National team programs, and with numerous NBA players. 

A native of Kazier, Oregon, Schmidt played college basketball at the University of Hawaii and at Western Oregon University. While at Western Oregon, Schmidt served as team captain and led the Wolves in scoring his senior year before being selected by Idaho in the 2008 NBA Development League draft. Schmidt played for Honolulu in the American Basketball Association during the 2009-10 season. He trained for three consecutive summers in Las Vegas with Joe Abunassar at Impact Basketball.

The Brampton Honey Badgers training camp opens May 15 in advance of their 2023 season-opener at Ottawa on May 24.

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Media Contact:
Laura Shatka
Senior Manager, Events & Marketing
Brampton Honey Badgers Professional Basketball Club
lshatka@honeybadgers.ca