Who is Rob McClanaghan: Independent NBA trainer to stars like Kevin Durant and Steph Curry arrested on rape charges

Prominent basketball trainer Rob McClanaghan was arrested on Friday in Rhode Island after a warrant was put out for his arrest.

The warrant involved charges of him drugging and raping a woman in downtown Boston. The news came as a shock to many around the NBA, as the 43-year-old is heavily involved with many NBA franchises and star players.

Back in his college days, Rob McClanaghan was a walk-on guard for Syracuse, where he played three seasons from 1998 to 2001. McClanaghan played under legendary college basketball coach Jim Boeheim and even appeared in Syracuse’s 2001 second-round NCAA tournament loss against Kansas.

However, he didn’t get much playing time, averaging just 0.8 points in 1.9 minutes per game over 25 career games.

Following his college graduation, McClanaghan started working for the Wasserman Media Group, a sports marketing and talent management company.

McClanaghan’s specialty was training basketball players to help them make the transition from college to the NBA. He later started his own training business called 'Rob Mac Basketball.'

Over the years, McClanaghan’s clients have reportedly included NBA stars such as Kevin Durant, Steph Curry, Russell Westbrook, and Derrick Rose.

Rob McClanaghan on how he trains the NBA’s top stars

Basketball trainer Rob McClanaghan posing with NBA stars

In 2017, The Ringer did an interview with Rob McClanaghan. They described him as:

“Rob McClanaghan has worked with everyone from Steph, KD, John Wall, and Westbrook to little-known journeymen who never made it to the NBA. This is the story of a college walk-on who became one of the most instrumental behind-the-scenes figures in basketball.”

During the interview, McClanaghan spoke about his training style:

“Some players have asked me, ‘Why are we doing this drill?’”

He continued:

“But I have a reason why we’re doing every single one… I swear, every guy that has asked me that hasn’t reached their potential. I say that because I’m trusting you to work hard. Trust me to know what I’m doing."

Check out McClanaghan teaching how to shoot a jumpshot:

McClanaghan even released his own book 'Net Work' in October 2019. The book covers his career as a successful basketball trainer.

“Reading this book gave me a unique perspective on the sport of basketball. Rob's experience, knowledge, and understanding of the sport jumps off the pages,” Robert Iger, Chairman and CEO of the Walt Disney Company said.

As of now, Rob McClanaghan is currently being held without bail in Rhode Island. His lawyers haven't made any public comment. Meanwhile, some NBA teams and players are already doing their best to distance themselves from McClanaghan following the heinous allegations.

For more on McClanaghan's arrest, click here.