Toronto Raptors announce Ryerson student Sam Bhachu as inaugural winner of the Wayne Embry Fellowship

The growth and development of basketball in Canada has been on full display since the Toronto Raptors began play in the National Basketball Association 22 years ago, and this growth continues as the team announces Sam Bhachu as the inaugural recipient of the Wayne Embry Fellowship.  The fellowship will give Bhachu, a law and business student in Ryerson University’s Ted Rogers School of Management (TRSM), the opportunity to gain first-hand experience in a professional basketball operations environment.

“The Raptors organization is thrilled to name Sam the recipient of the first Wayne Embry Fellowship,” said Teresa Resch, Vice-President of Basketball Operations and Player Development for the Toronto Raptors.  “After receiving hundreds of applications, we knew Sam possessed something special.  His professionalism, knowledge of the sport and passion to grow the game of basketball in Canada perfectly represented what we were looking for.  We are excited to bring him into the Toronto Raptors family.”

Bhachu lives and breathes basketball, both on and off the court. The 21-year-old played the sport his entire life and also coached youth teams in his spare time. In the past few years, his love of the game has fuelled his interest in learning about the business of basketball, especially after taking a sport marketing business course last year co-taught by Resch. “I’m excited for this fellowship opportunity,” said the student.  “Now that I’m finishing my degree at TRSM, I can’t think of a better opportunity to not only do what I’ve dreamed of, but what I’ve been striving for throughout my university experience.”

The Wayne Embry Fellowship with the Raptors will consist of a year-long paid position with the team involving time spent in all areas of basketball operations to provide exposure to all facets of the inner-workings of a NBA team, including coaching, scouting, team services, player development, medical, financial, equipment, travel and the NBA Gatorade League (NBA G-League).

Each rotation within the program will include a mentor and specific responsibilities as they learn the role that each department plays in the organization. The fellow will also have the opportunity to gain event operations experience at NBA Summer League, the NBA G-League Showcase and Basketball without Borders global camp held during NBA All-Star Weekend. Travel and accommodations for these events will be covered by the organization as part of the Fellowship experience.

“It has been very rewarding for everyone in the Raptors organization to see the growth of the game in Canada over the years, but a successful franchise also requires the contributions of so many people behind the scenes,” said Wayne Embry. “This program is the chance to create opportunity for people who dream about a career in basketball but not might otherwise have the chance to develop the necessary experience.”

Applicants were asked to submit a video no longer than two minutes that answered the following questions: “How are you uniquely qualified for this fellowship through your Perseverance, Persistence, Preparation, Passion, Perception and/or Pride?” and “Why do you want this fellowship opportunity?”

As part of the application process, finalists for the position travelled to Toronto early in June for an in-person meeting with Wayne Embry and interviews with a panel of Raptors executives.

For more information and to watch Bhachu’s submission please visit external,http://www.nba.com/raptors/wefellowship (external link)