Kaleb Canales has been hired as the 11th head coach in Weber State’s Division I history, sources tell the Standard-Examiner. The sources spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly and the university had yet to announce the change.

Canales is expected to be introduced Friday. He replaces Eric Duft, who was head coach for four seasons after 16 years as an assistant.

Canales, 47, comes to Ogden most recently from Troy University, where he served for one season as associate head coach to Scott Cross. Troy went 22-12 this season and won the Sun Belt regular-season and tournament championships. The Trojans were a 13-seed in the NCAA Tournament, losing to Nebraska in the first round, and Cross left to be the head coach at Georgia Tech.

That’s a college bookend for Canales, whose coaching career began with one season as an assistant coach at his alma mater, UT Arlington, when the Mavericks won a share of the Southland Conference title in 2004. He’s a native of Laredo, Texas.

In the 21 years between college gigs, he’s twice worked as a head coach: in 2012 as interim head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers for the team’s final 23 games, and in 2025 as head coach of the Calgary Surge in the Canadian Elite Basketball League.

“His resume is second to none,” Cross said upon hiring Canales at Troy. “But what gets me even more fired up is his energy, enthusiasm, and passion for the game. He has a desire to help players become the best version of themselves.”

Canales became the first Hispanic head coach in NBA history upon his appointment as interim leader in 2012 following the dismissal of Nate McMillan; he went 8-15 in that stint. In 2025, Calgary had the CEBL’s second-best record and the team reached, but lost, the league’s playoff final.

Following UT Arlington, Canales worked for the Trail Blazers for seven seasons: four as video coordinator, three as an assistant coach. He was then assistant coach for five seasons with the Dallas Mavericks, two with the New York Knicks, one with the Indiana Pacers and two with the Orlando Magic.

Canales worked under McMillan, Rick Carlisle, Terry Stotts, David Fizdale and Jamahl Mosley on NBA benches.

Canales was also the associate head coach for the Texas Legends in the NBA G League from 2023-25, and has been associate head coach for Mexico’s national men’s team since 2021.

After going 16-16 last season, Weber State currently has six players who have announced their intent to enter the transfer portal, which officially opens Tuesday, April 7. At least initially, Canales will have seven to nine roster spots to recruit.

The primary task Canales inherits is ending the 10-year drought since Weber State last won a Big Sky regular-season or conference tournament title.