Jamil Abiad
Jamil Abiad | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 4, 1990 Canada |
| Occupation(s) | Basketball player (former), coach |
| Years active | 2010–2018 (player), 2021–present (coach) |
| Known for | Head coach of Valur women's basketball team; Lead assistant coach for Valur men's team |
Jamil Abiad (born 4 July 1990) is a Canadian former basketball player and current coach, serving as the head coach of the Valur women's squad and the Lead Assistant for the men's team at Valur. His collegiate basketball career took place at Bishop's.
College career
Abiad competed for Bishop's University from 2010 until 2015. In his final year, he contributed to Bishop's capturing the RSEQ Men's University Basketball title. Additionally, he participated in the U Sports National Championships, where his team finished in sixth place. In 2015, he was honored with the Garth Smith Award.
Professional career
In 2016, Abiad signed with Hoops Club, appearing in 12 league contests. Between 2016 and 2017, he played in the Canadian Basketball League. His professional tenure also included a short stint with Tadamon Zouk in 2018 before retiring from playing professionally.
Coaching career
Abiad commenced his coaching journey with the Ottawa Blackjacks during the 2021 and 2022 campaigns.
Beginning in 2022, he has held the position of head coach for both U18 and U21 teams at Valur basketball club, while simultaneously acting as lead assistant coach for the senior men's team. Under his guidance, Valur secured the Icelandic Cup title and achieved the best regular season record in the Úrvalsdeild karla. However, they were ultimately defeated by Tindastóll in the championship finals.
In 2016, Abiad established Next Level Media, a company specializing in media production. Two years later, he launched NL Fitness, a basketball training academy, followed by founding Team Believe, a basketball organization based in Ottawa, in 2019. He also serves as an ambassador for Under Armour Canada. In 2021, Abiad was featured in a short documentary titled The Journey.
On 24 September 2023, Abiad led Valur to victory in the Icelandic Super Cup, defeating Tindastóll with a score of 80–72.
In May 2024, Abiad was appointed as head coach of the Valur women's team, while maintaining his assistant coaching role with the men's squad. On 10 October 2024, he temporarily assumed head coaching responsibilities for the men's team after head coach Finnur Freyr Stefánsson went on leave due to illness. However, in November of that year, Abiad had to step away following issues related to his work permit renewal during the summer months.
External links
- 1990 births
- Living people
- Canadian basketball expatriates in Iceland
- Canadian men's basketball coaches
- Canadian male basketball players
- Úrvalsdeild karla (basketball) coaches
- Úrvalsdeild kvenna (basketball) coaches
- Valur men's basketball coaches
- Valur women's basketball coaches
- Tadamon Zouk players
- 21st-century Canadian athletes