Liverpool Basketball have announced veteran NBA play-caller Roy Rogers as the club’s first-ever Head Coach today, ahead of the club’s inaugural season in Super League Basketball (SLB).
Rogers arrives in Liverpool following a coaching career spanning nearly two decades in the NBA, most recently serving as an Assistant Coach at the University of Memphis.
Prior to Memphis, Rogers spent four seasons (2021–25) with the Portland Trail Blazers, including serving as the team’s defensive coordinator. His extensive NBA coaching résumé also includes stops with the Los Angeles Clippers, Chicago Bulls, Houston Rockets, Washington Wizards, Brooklyn Nets, Detroit Pistons and Boston Celtics.
Rogers began his coaching career in the NBA Development League in 2004. Bringing nearly two decades of NBA coaching experience to Merseyside, Rogers is the most experienced NBA coach ever to lead a British basketball club.
“It was paramount that we enter our inaugural season and set the tone by bringing in a coach of Roy’s calibre,” said Liverpool Basketball owner Jason Dolan.
“We’re talking about a leader who brings nearly two decades of NBA experience to our organisation. We’re not here just to participate; we’re building a club that will represent Liverpool to the highest standards, and Roy is the perfect coach to lead the way.”
“From my first conversation with Jason, it was clear this club is being built the right way, from the ground up,” said Rogers.
“The chance to be the first head coach in Liverpool Basketball history — to set the standard for everything that follows — is the kind of opportunity a coach gets once in a career. This is a city with real passion, real pride, and real sporting pedigree. Our team is going to play with an edge that this city will recognise as its own, and I can’t wait to get to work in front of our fans at the M&S Bank Arena.”
Throughout his career, Rogers has coached alongside some of the most respected names in professional basketball, including Hall of Fame coaches Doc Rivers and Mike D’Antoni, as well as Tyronn Lue, Lawrence Frank and Randy Wittman.
Before beginning his coaching career, Rogers was selected in the first round of the 1996 NBA Draft — a class headlined by Allen Iverson, Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash and Ray Allen — out of the University of Alabama.
He played four seasons in the NBA with the Vancouver Grizzlies, Boston Celtics, Toronto Raptors and Denver Nuggets before continuing his playing career internationally, including a season with European powerhouse CSKA Moscow.
Joining Rogers on Liverpool’s inaugural coaching staff will be Paul Cantwell, who has been named an assistant coach. Cantwell previously served as head coach of the Yorkshire Dragons in British Championship Basketball (BCB).
Rogers will make his home debut at the M&S Bank Arena on 4 October against Manchester. Season tickets for Liverpool Basketball’s inaugural season are available here via the club’s website. You can watch all the action from the SLB and stay up to date via our social media channels by clicking here.