Former OKC Thunder Assistant Leading South Sudan in Olympics

Royal Ivey is the head man in charge for South Sudan after a long history in Oklahoma City

Jan 25, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) guard Royal Ivey (7) and guard Russell Westbrook (0) (left to right) watch from the bench during the fourth quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center. The Thunder defeated the Sixers 103-91. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports / Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

Oklahoma City has footprints all over the NBA. From management, to coaches, and former players — Sam Presti has created quite the tree stemming from one of the NBA’s most well respected organizations.

One of the disciples from the Thunder organization that is rising to prominence is Royal Ivey, who was both a coach and a player in Oklahoma City. Ivey was a key veteran on a young Thunder team from 2010-2012, appearing in 61 total games across three seasons.

Now, Ivey has added the most impressive piece to his growing resume as the head coach of South Sudan in the Paris Olympics. Ivey is leading both the team and the country as South Sudan looks to make history. The team took the USA down to the wire in an exhibition game and will have a chance to shock the world once again this week.

“I thought about it for a day and said, ‘I’m in,’’’ Ivey said in an interview with the Houston Chronicle. “I wanted to get out of my comfort zone. I wanted to do something different. I wanted to be a trailblazer. I felt like this would be something different, getting those head coaching reps and trying to lead this nation on this journey. I thought it was getting out of myself and being selfless and giving of my time, basically invest in other people instead of just myself.”

His coaching journey has come a long way in such a short time. Ivey began his journey in 2014 as an assistant for the Oklahoma City Blue under the Thunder’s current head coach Mark Daigneault. He was elevated to an assistant coach with the Thunder in 2016 and stayed with the organization through 2018. He is now an assistant coach for the Houston Rockets and will help Ime Udoka lead Houston back to prominence after he’s done coaching South Sudan.

Ivey credited Thunder general manager for seeing his coaching potential and calling it out.

“I never knew I was going to be a coach,” Ivey said. “Sam Presti sat me down and said, ‘I think you can be a really good coach.’ I said, ‘Oh, really?” I took a leap of faith.”

As Ivey continues to lead South Sudan, another Thunder success story is growing in the NBA.

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