Who is Royal Ivey? Closer look at South Sudan coach's personal life

South Sudan head coach Royal Ivey led the youngest nation in the world to a win in their Olympic debut on Sunday. Ivey has been in charge of South Sudan since 2021, guiding them to the FIBA AfroBasket quarterfinals, the FIBA World Cup qualification round and the 2024 Paris Olympics.

It has been an amazing journey for Ivey, who played in the NBA for 10 seasons for four teams. But let's look at the 42-year-old coach's personal life. He was born on December 20, 1981 in Harlem, New York. His parents are Rodney and Jennifer Ivey.

Royal got married to Deanna Herrington last September in New York. Herrington is also a New York native and went to Syracuse University. She studied Communications with a minor in Marketing.

Royal Ivey played four years of college basketball in Texas from 2000 to 2004. He was selected in the second round of the 2004 draft by the Atlanta Hawks with the 37th overall pick. He was unable to get his degree in applied learning and development despite playing four years in college.

Nevertheless, Ivey used the 2011 NBA lockout to finish his degree and make his mother Jennifer proud. It was just a matter of putting in the effort on his studies, just like he did with his basketball career.

"My mom would always say, 'I didn't send you to school to be in the NBA.' That was just icing on the cake. My ultimate goal was to come to college, get a free education, graduate and then move on. I turned it into something else. Getting my degree, it's another accomplishment that I have, and it will make my mom happy," Ivey said. [H/T Alcalde Texas Exes]

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Royal Ivey's NBA and coaching career

Royal Ivey's NBA and coaching career. (Photo: IMAGN)

As mentioned earlier, Royal Ivey started his career with the Atlanta Hawks. Ivey spent the first three seasons of his career with the Hawks, acting mainly as a backup point guard although he started 89 games. He became a free agent and signed a one-year deal with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2007.

His stint in Milwaukee earned him a two-year deal with the Philadelphia 76ers. Midway through his second year in Philly, he was traded back to the Bucks. He became a free agent again and signed with the OKC Thunder. He was there for two years before returning to the Sixers as a free agent in 2012.

Ivey played his final season with the Thunder in 2014 and was later promoted as an assistant coach for the OKC Blue in the G League. He was promoted again two years later and became part of the Thunder's coaching staff. He would also serve as an assistant with the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets.

The 42-year-old currently serves as an assistant to the Houston Rockets and has been in that position since 2023. He's also been in charge of South Sudan since 2021 and should be staying longer after taking them to the Olympics in just his third year.