CAPE Verde franchise Kriol Star signed Ryan Gomes as their coach for the Road to BAL 2027 Group A Division West leg in Libya, which tips off on Wednesday.
The United States-born Gomes, who has Cape Verdean roots, was a second-round NBA draft pick and played in the league from 2005 to 2014. The 44-year-old coach also had stints in Europe, where he suited up for Germany’s Artland Dragons and Spanish club Laboral Kutxa.
His coaching career began in 2016, when he was appointed an assistant coach for the Long Island Nets. He also served as an assistant at the Portland Trail Blazers and had the same role at his former college, the Providence Friars.
Kriol Star had a breakout year in 2024, when they became the first team from their country to qualify for the BAL after finishing second in the final of the Elite 16 Division East of the Road to BAL 2025. In the 2025 BAL, they finished in the quarter-finals.
After falling short in the Road to BAL 2026, Kriol Star will look to Gomes to return them to the BAL at this year’s qualifiers.
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