CALGARY SURGE ANNOUNCE NBA G LEAGUE AND WNBA CHAMPION PERRY HUANG AS TEAM’S HEAD COACH FOR THE 2026 SEASON

A proven winner, Huang has two WNBA championships and one NBA G League championship on his résumé.

MARCH 10 - The Calgary Surge of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced Tuesday that Perry Huang, current Assistant Coach of the Los Angeles Lakers’ NBA G League affiliate South Bay Lakers, has been named the club’s Head Coach for the 2026 season.

Huang arrives at the Calgary Surge after a distinguished run developing players and coaching across the world’s top men’s and women’s professional leagues, the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). Huang began his coaching career in 2014 as a Coaching Associate with the Santa Cruz Warriors.

“We are excited to welcome Perry to Calgary,” said Dylan Howe, Team President of the Calgary Surge. “Perry’s background in player development, his experience in high-performance environments, and his championship pedigree make him the right leader at the right time for us. He has the entire organization’s full confidence.”

Upon learning that 2025 Surge Head Coach Kaleb Canales’ current role with Troy University would preclude him from returning, the Surge’s Basketball Operations Leadership Team selected Huang after a competitive interview process. The group consists of Team President, Dylan Howe, General Manager, Shane James, and Senior Advisor, Steve Konchalksi.

Notable accomplishments in Huang’s professional coaching career include:

● NBA G League Champion (2015) as an Assistant Coach with the Santa Cruz Warriors.

● Two-time WNBA Champion (2018, 2020) as a Video Coordinator and Assistant Coach with the Seattle Storm.'

“I am honoured to have the opportunity to lead this group in Calgary,” said Huang. “The Surge have built something special on and off the floor — passionate fans, an award-winning front office, and an exciting roster. My staff and I are excited to get to work and push this organization over the edge and claim our first championship”

Huang is a graduate of Fresno Pacific University, where he played collegiately before beginning his coaching journey. After his tenure with the Santa Cruz Warriors, from 2018 through 2024, Huang worked year-round between the NBA G League and WNBA. During the traditional basketball season, he coached within NBA G League systems, including time with the Phoenix Suns and New Orleans Pelicans organizations, while spending each WNBA season on staff with the Seattle Storm.

During his time in Seattle, Huang played an instrumental role in developing several of the most accomplished players in WNBA history, including:

● Sue Bird – WNBA Hall of Famer and Olympic gold medalist

● Jewell Loyd – Six-time WNBA All-Star and Olympic gold medalist

● Ezi Magbegor – WNBA All-Star and four-time WNBA All-Defensive Team selection

“Perry’s love for the game shows through his work. His competitive nature cannot be taught and thrives on getting the best out of his players. I'm really excited to continue to watch Perry’s coaching journey,” said Breanna Stewart, WNBA MVP and Olympic gold medalist.

In 2024, Huang joined the South Bay Lakers coaching staff and with the approval of South Bay’s Head Coach and General Manager and Los Angeles Lakers Head Coach, JJ Reddick, Huang served as Interim Head Coach for three games (2-1 record). Huang has worked with several CEBL stars in Los Angeles including 2023 Surge player Kylor Kelley. He has also coached multiple players who have earned NBA opportunities through the G League development system, including Jordan Goodwin, Cole Swider, Kobe Bufkin, and Drew Timme.

“Perry is a professional in every sense of the word. He always came prepared and you felt you were getting 100 percent each and every single day,” commented Cole Swider, former Toronto Raptor and two-way player for the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat. “He’ll maximize the roster that the organization puts together and will have a fun and competitive style of basketball for the fan base.”

2026 season tickets are on sale and for a limited time, fans can purchase an exclusive Home Opener Flex Pack, which includes one ticket to the 2026 Home Opener and two additional games of their choice. Visit https://www.calgarysurge.ca/surge-home-opener-pack for more information.

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About REAL Entertainment & Culture Inc. & the Calgary Surge

REAL Entertainment & Culture Inc. (REC) is a professional sports and live entertainment company co-founded by Jason Ribeiro that operates the Calgary Surge Professional Basketball Club and REAL Studios.

The Calgary Surge tipped off their inaugural season at WinSport Event Centre in May 2023, after originating as the Guelph Nighthawks, one of the founding members of the CanadianElite Basketball League (CEBL). The Surge are active members of the community and have participated in a few hundred events (and counting) around the city that connect the team with diverse communities through sport, entertainment, and arts and culture. Over three seasons, the Surge have made three straight CEBL Championship Weekend appearances, were crowned Western Conference Champions in 2023 and 2025, hold the league’s single-game attendance record, and have sent over 6500 deserving kids and families to their games for free. For more information, visit www.calgarysurge.ca.

About the CEBL

The Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) is Canada’s professional basketball league, with 10 member clubs across six provinces. Blending global innovation with local connection, the league is redefining how the game is played and experienced while rooting its teams deeply in communities coast to coast. With a fan base of 4.1 million Canadians – up 57 per cent since 2022 – the CEBL has cultivated Canada’s youngest basketball audience, with more than half of its fans aged 34 or younger. Its rapid growth reflects its ability to connect authentically with a new generation of basketball fans while expanding the sport’s cultural footprint nationwide.

In 2025, the CEBL featured 17 players with NBA experience, and nearly 70 per cent of its athletes were Canadian – the highest proportion of domestic talent in any professional sports league in the country. To date, nearly 40 players have signed NBA contracts following CEBL seasons, which run from May through August. Visit CEBL.ca or follow @cebleague on social media.

Media Contact:

Karina Castellanos Feijoó

Manager, Projects & Administration

Calgary Surge

647-916-3594; [email protected]