Canales blazing his own trail as NBA coach

By Dan McCarney

LAREDO — It finally sank in for Laredo native Kaleb Canales that he had reached the NBA several years ago in Charlotte.

Having been promoted to assistant coach with the Portland Trail Blazers, Canales was heading to the visitors’ locker room when he realized he was about to cross paths with one of the most recognizable human beings on the planet.

Canales quickly weighed his options: Should he introduce himself to Michael Jordan, or play it smooth?

“He’s probably heard it all,” Canales said. “So I said hello, and he said hello. After he passed me, I was like, ‘That was Michael Jordan.’ That was cool.”

It was a rare moment of restraint from the ambitious Canales, who in eight years has clawed his way from an unpaid internship in the Blazers’ video department to interim head coach.

In addition to becoming the NBA’s youngest head coach, the 33-year-old Canales is the first Mexican-American in league history to hold such a position.

Not only has Canales achieved the seemingly unachievable, he did it more than a year before the deadline he set back in his teens, when he first aspired to become an NBA head coach by the time he was 35.

And someday, he will get around to savoring it.

“In all honesty, I haven’t had any time to feel anything,” said Canales, who is 2-3 since replacing his mentor, Nate McMillan, on March 15. “Obviously, it’s an honor. The guys coming up after the Bulls game (a 100-89 victory in his debut), that’s a special moment. I know I’ll look back to that. Right now, it’s not time.”

While Canales focuses on the remainder of Portland’s schedule, a stretch that could determine his future with the Blazers, friends and family members have reacted to his stunning ascent with pride, joy and more than a little astonishment.

Not because they doubted Canales. But because someone who didn’t play college basketball, had no connections to rely on, hailed from an area with virtually no NBA presence, and had never been a head coach at any level could rise so high, so fast.

“It’s hard to put into words, to be honest,” his sister Chantal said. “It’s been surreal, just seeing where he started. The whole path is pretty amazing.”

“The entire community is proud of Kaleb,” said Hector Noyola, executive director of the Boys Girls Club of Laredo, where Canales was once named member of the year. “It’s the No. 1 sports story ever in Laredo. It’s a goal that few would think he could achieve, and he did it.”

Canales abhors talking about himself only slightly less than losing. As such, he scoffs at the notion that he has done anything on his own.

“The greatest gift you can have is people who believe in you,” he said. “And I’ve had a lot.”

‘ANNOYINGLY HAPPY’

The majority of Canales’ earliest supporters still reside in Laredo. Located roughly 150 miles south of San Antonio, flush on the Rio Grande, the so-called “Gateway City” boasts a unique blend of Mexican and American culture.

The latter is especially prevalent in the city’s passion for sports. Though high school football and Little League baseball are hugely popular, basketball was the only game for Canales and a group of childhood friends with whom he remains close.

As much as Canales loved basketball, it was not an endeavor he was especially suited for. A 5-foot-11 power forward at Alexander High School, he hit the first 3-pointer in school history but could never crack the starting lineup.

“Like any kid, he wanted to play more,” said Alexander head coach Luis Valdez, who was an assistant during Canales’ senior season in 1995-96. “But he never complained. He wanted to know what he needed to do to get better.”

Canales applies that same dedication to his coaching career, which began at Laredo Martin High School in 2001.

It wasn’t unusual back then for head coach Bobby Cruz to show up the morning after road games and find that his assistants, led by Canales, had already washed the uniforms and prepped for practice.

Not only that, but Canales went about his duties with so much enthusiasm that some actually complained.

“Grown men and women would tell me, ‘What’s wrong with your assistant? He’s annoyingly happy,’?” said Cruz, now the athletic director for the Laredo United Independent School District. “I’d say, ‘It’s not what’s wrong with him, it’s what’s wrong with you?’?”

Despite a pay cut, Canales left Laredo in 2003 to join the college staff at Texas-Arlington.

He got the college job largely because of the impression he made as a team manager several years before while pursuing his bachelor’s degree. And he earned that position because of the impression he made while visiting best friend Hecky Noyola, then a redshirt freshman with the Mavericks.

“I asked the coach if he could watch practice,” Noyola said. “And he was out there mopping up sweat and handing out water. He took pride in everything he did.”

‘NOT DONE YET’

It was no different when Canales began to pursue his ultimate goal of reaching the NBA.

Mindful of Erik Spoelstra’s journey from video intern to Pat Riley’s right-hand man, Canales bombarded the future Miami Heat head coach with handwritten letters in the hope of earning an internship of his own.

Spoelstra says he received one per week, each personalized with a motivational quote. But Canales said he actually sent one every day, only slightly embarrassed at his doggedness.

Though Canales didn’t land the internship, Spoelstra was so impressed, he recommended him to friends throughout the NBA. When the Blazers called to offer him an unpaid position in the video department, Canales might as well have won the lottery.

But the real work, he knew, was only just beginning.

“I’ll never forget the look on his face,” said Charley Ochoa, who grew up in the same Laredo neighborhood and remains one of Canales’ closest friends. “You could see it in his eyes — he wasn’t coming back. He was going out there to prove himself.”

Stories of Canales’ commitment have become legendary among the Blazers. He spent almost as much time at the practice facility as he did his own apartment, leading McMillan to praise him as the hardest-working person in the entire organization.

“My first and second year, he would actually sleep here every night in case guys came back late, or he would be here if guys came in early in the morning,” Portland forward LaMarcus Aldridge told the Associated Press. “I wouldn’t do that. I’d go home.”

With funds at a premium, Canales ate tuna so often during his internship that he treated the staple of his meager diet as an unofficial roommate.

“I’d call, and he’d say, ‘Me and Tuna are awesome,’?” Cruz said.

“Did he say Graham Crackers?” Canales said. “Throw those in, too.”

Despite the hardships, he never complained.

“I was just trying to do whatever it took to stay here,” Canales said. “I didn’t allow myself to think any negative thoughts. I just knew I was going to work my tail off every day, and that if it was in God’s plan, it would happen.”

Promotions came quickly in Portland. He became video coordinator, then a part-time assistant, then a full-time assistant in 2008-09. When Canales was tabbed to replace McMillan, news spread through Laredo like wildfire.

Ochoa broke down when he heard, and once more during a recent interview.

“Amazing,” he said after regaining his composure. “Amazing.”

Hecky Noyola is more stoic, but even he became teary as the text messages began flowing in.

“Every day I think about it,” he said. “I can’t stop talking about it.”

It wasn’t long ago that an unexpected package arrived at Noyola’s office at Martin, where he coaches the basketball team with assistance from Ochoa.

Noyola opened it to find a photo, professionally enlarged and mounted on wood, of him, Canales, Ochoa and several other friends in a solemn embrace after winning an amateur basketball tournament in 2001.

Such gestures, Noyola said, strike at the heart of who Canales is.

“Anybody else would have just put it in a little frame,” he said. “He goes out of his way to do stuff like that, to show you what kind of friend he is.”

Canales’ willingness to go above and beyond in everything he does is just one of the reasons Cruz believes his story is only just beginning.

“It’s a nice feather in our cap as a community to be able to say that one of our own broke the barrier,” he said. “He’s a shining example for our kids, our city, our region. And he’s not done yet.”

dmccarney@express-news.net

KALEB CANALES

Age: 33

Job: Portland Trail Blazers, interim head coach

Education: Laredo Alexander High School,? Texas-Arlington (bachelor’s), Virginia? Commonwealth (master’s)

Coaching stops: Laredo Martin H.S. (2001-02), Laredo United H.S. (2002-03), Texas-Arlington (2003-04), Trail Blazers (intern, 2004-05; video coordinator, 2005-08; assistant coach, 2008-12)

‘Linsanity’ reaching new heights after S&D effort over Lakers

He might be only a one-week wonder, but what a week it has been for  New York guard Jeremy Lin.

Lin capped a remarkable four-game stretch by scoring a career-high 38 points and dishing off seven assists to lead the Knicks’ 92-85 victory over  the Los Angeles Lakers Friday night. 

It was the fourth straight 20-point effort for Lin, who had been waived twice earlier in the season before surfacing with the Knicks after a brief stint in the NBA’s Developmental League. Earlier in the day, he was selected as ABC News’ “Person of the Week.”

The victory was the fourth straight for the Knicks since Lin has taken over point guard duties with leading scorers Amar’e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony out of the lineup. It also snapped a nine-game losing streak to the Lakers and Kobe Bryant, who scored 34 points in a losing cause.

“I didn’t try to see this game as any different,” Lin told the Associated Press. “I just try to make sure that when I get there on the floor, I play as hard as I can and try to do everything I can to help the team win.

“The only thing we established tonight is four in a row. Now we try to go for five tomorrow. I’m not too worried about proving anything to anybody. As a team we’re growing and trying to build on the momentum.”

Bryant, who dismissed Lin a night earlier in Boston, had another disdainful comment for Lin and the Knicks after the victory.

“Enjoy it,” Bryant told reporters after the game. “They’ll receive judgment next season.”

But for at least one night, Lin sat at the top of the NBA’s Studs and Duds. He’s the first Harvard product to ever receive the designation.

STUDS

New York G Jeremy Lin: Erupted for 38 points in 38 minutes, dished off seven assists, grabbed four rebounds and two steals and was plus-8 in the Knicks’ victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.

Dallas F Dirk Nowitzki: Went for 33 points, four rebounds, three assists, three blocks and was plus-22 in the Mavericks’ triumph at Minnesota.

Portland G Jamal Crawford: Came off the bench to notch 31 points, eight assists and was plus-14 in the Trail Blazers’  victory at New Orleans.

Atlanta F Josh Smith: Filled the stat sheet for 23 points, 19 rebounds, five assists, three blocks and was plus-8 in the Hawks’ victory at Orlando.

Minnesota F Kevin Love: Went for 32 points — including 14 of 14 from the foul line — 12 rebounds and three assists in the Timberwolves’ loss to Dallas.

DUDS

Minnesota G Ricky Rubio: Clanked through a 2-for-8 shooting night with four turnovers and was minus-18 in the Timberwolves’ loss to Dallas.

Orlando F Hedo Turkoglu: Went 4 for 9 from the field with six turnovers in the Magic’s loss to Atlanta.

Boston G Rajon Rondo: Clanked through a 2-of-10 shooting performance with five turnovers and was minus-16 in the Celtics’ loss at Toronto.

Philadelphia G Jrue Holiday: Went 2 of 8 from the field with five turnovers in the Sixers’ loss  to the Los Angeles Clippers.

Indiana F Paul George: Struggled through a 2-for-13 shooting night with three turnovers  and was a team-worst minus-9 in the Pacers’ loss  at Memphis.

Game rewind: TP’s fourth-quarter spurt ices victory

Game analysis: The Spurs’ bench came through with a pivotal performance to bail them out after early struggles. And after struggling to contain the athletic Trail Blazers in the first quarter, the Spurs limited Portland to 33.9 percent shooting during the rest of the game.

Where the game was won: After Nicolas Batum gave Portland a 67-65 lead 10 seconds into the fourth quarter, the Spurs hit Portland for 14 straight points and an 18-2 spurt that put the game away. The run was keyed by Kawhi Leonard who provided a 3-pointer and had a steal and a layup that was set up by DeJuan Blair’s rebound and long outlet pass.  By the time the run ended, the Spurs had an 83-69 lead that dropped below digits only once during the rest of the game. 

And don’t forget about this, either: Raymond Felton pulled Portland within 85-76 with 4:51 left on a jumper after earlier hitting a 3-pointer  on the previous possession. From there, Parker scored San Antonio’s next 10 points to ice the victory.

Player of the game I: Parker finished with 20 points and nine assists, mainly because of a strong fourth quarter where he scored 12 points in barely five minutes of game action.  

Player of the game II:  Tiago Splitter had one of his best career games, scoring 14 points on 5-for-5 field goal shooting, four rebounds and two assists and two blocked shots. His strong effort typified the lift the Spurs’ bench provided to the victory.

Player of the game III: The Spurs had no early answer for LaMarcus Aldridge, who started quickly with 14 points in the first quarter. The Spurs were aided as the game progressed by better defense and Aldridge’s foul trouble, which limited him to 29 points and seven rebounds. It could have been much worse.

Most unsung: Danny Green’s strong night was of the Spurs’ strong bench play. Green scored 13 points and grabbed six rebounds but more impressive was his plus-29 plus/minus score which was the best of the season for a Spurs player.

Did you notice: The Spurs committed 10 turnovers in the first quarter as Portland turned the mistakes into 15 fast break points on 7-for-7 shooting . The Spurs did a better job protecting the basketball during the rest of the game and Portland couldn’t get its running game going nearly as effectively.

Did you notice II: Spurs rookie forward Malcolm Thomas got his first NBA action during garbage time in the fourth quarter. Thomas grabbed an offensive rebound in two minutes of game action.

Stat of the game: The Spurs’ bench outscored their Portland counterparts, 45-17. The edge was 27-2 in the first half.

Stat of the game II: Parker produced 20 points and nine assists. Before Manu Ginobili’s injury, Parker was averaging 13.8 points and 6.5 assists per game. In the games since Ginobili was placed on the injured list, Parker is averaging 17.9 points and 8.0 assists. And in his last three games, he’s averaging 23.3 points per game with three  consecutive 20-point games for the first time since the final three games of the playoffs against Memphis last season.

Stat of the game III: With Marcus Camby out and Aldridge battling foul trouble, the Spurs were able to outrebound Portland, 50-36. The 14-board difference was only the third time since 1986 that the Spurs have outrebounded Portland by 14 rebounds or more. It was San Antonio’s largest rebounding margin against the Trail Blazers since they had a 27-rebound margin in a 106-75 blowout on Jan. 4, 2006.

Weird stat of the game: Maybe it was a weird Friday the 13th mojo at work. Or maybe Camby might be developing triskaidekaphobia, which is the fear of the number 13. Camby played 13 minutes, 13 seconds before his ankle injury Friday that idled him for the rest of the game.

Quote of the game: “We made easy buckets and we had great defense. If we play like this every night, it’s going to be tough to beat the Spurs,” Splitter, on the lift provided by the Spurs’ bench.

How the schedule stacks up: The Spurs will have one more game during their brief homestand, Phoenix on Sunday night before a back-to-back road trip with games at Miami on Tuesday and Orlando on Wednesday. The Trail Blazers began a six-game road trip that will continue with a back-to-back Saturday in Houston and upcoming games Monday at New Orleans and Wednesday at Atlanta. 

Injuries: Ginobili missed his seventh game after undergoing surgery for a fractured fifth left metacarpal.  Ford missed his second game with a torn left hamstring sustained Tuesday night in Milwaukee. Portland center Greg Oden remains out with a left knee injury. And Camby was idled late in the second quarter with a left ankle sprain and did not  return after failing to score and grabbing three rebounds.