Ross Hodge Announces the Addition of Yusuf Ali to the Coaching Staff

West Virginia University men’s basketball coach Ross Hodge announced the hiring of Yusuf Ali as an assistant coach on Friday.

Ali, a native of Toronto, Canada, comes to WVU from Arizona State, where he served as an assistant coach for Bobby Hurley this past season. Ali played a pivotal role in recruiting at Arizona State.

“We are excited to announce the addition of Yusuf to our coaching staff,” Hodge said. “Yusuf has a unique ability to connect with people. He has great relationships both internationally and stateside. Yusuf also brings with him Big 12 experience and will be a valuable member of our program.”

Prior to Arizona State, Ali served as an assistant coach at Simon Fraser University. While there, Simon Fraser earned wins over No. 1-seeded Saint Martin’s, Western Washington and local rival, UBC, in a Buchanan Cup victory, securing a spot in the playoffs. Notably, all of his graduates signed professional contracts in the offseason.

Prior to Simon Fraser, Ali co-founded and served as the head coach of the Toronto Basketball Academy and DeepEnd Training from 2018-21. His team posted a record of 32-6 during his two years as head coach from 2019-21.

Renowned for his focus on player development, Ali has mentored and coached some of Canada’s top basketball talents, many of whom have gone on to play in the NCAA and professional leagues around the world.

As a former athlete, Ali was a standout player in U-Sports Basketball, representing the Ryerson Rams and achieving a national championship with Seneca College in 2018. His exceptional performance earned him accolades, including the titles of CCAA Tournament MVP, OCAA Tournament MVP and OCAA First Team All-Star that season. Ali scored 12 points and dished out five assists against Duke, who had Zion Williamson and RJ Barrett in Toronto during the 2018-19 season.

“I am honored and excited to join Coach Hodge and the West Virginia basketball family,” Ali said. “WVU has such a rich tradition and passionate fan base, and I’m eager to contribute to building on that legacy. My focus has always been on developing players on and off the court, and I look forward to helping our student-athletes reach their full potential while competing at the highest level in the Big 12.”

Ali completed his undergraduate studies at Laurentian University in business management. His brother, Ahmed Ali, played at the University of Portland in 2020-21, averaging 18 points and three assists per game.

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