Get to Know Coach Ryan Razi!

3.5 Minute read

By: Andrea Aruino

The foundation UPBasketball’s Player Development Intern, Ryan Razi, grew up on was one that was built on parents who emphasized hard work in whatever he pursued. For Razi, basketball was simply something he enjoyed playing because it was fun, but he never thought of taking his talents to the highest level. It wasn’t until the sixth grade that he began to play competitively, which ultimately gave him a spark for the game that would continue on his following years. 

He continued playing competitively at Woodside high school and it was during his sophomore year that he realized he wanted to play at the collegiate level. Razi understood the discipline and dedication that it would take in order to make it to a level that all hoopers dream of. With that mindset, he would begin his day at 5am with his high school coach Ramon Meachman to get shots up and be the last to leave during practice. Unfortunately, COVID-19 had occurred towards the end of his sophomore year which put the basketball world to a standstill. The next school year came around and Razi was ready to apply his work from practice into games. That was until he had torn a ligament resulting in him missing the entire season derailing his college recruitment plans. 

Despite a season ending injury and lack of exposure for college recruits, Razi still knew that college ball was something he would work towards no matter what path it required him to take. Following his senior year out of high school, he took a gap year to attend Future College Prep in Irvine, CA. There he was able to focus on basketball and played all 80 games of their season. This opportunity gave Razi the chance to play everywhere including Mexico, Las Vegas, and Florida. The latter half of his high school career seemed almost detrimental to one’s chances at playing college ball, and if it couldn’t get any worse, he had torn his PCL as well as some of his meniscus while in Irvine. 

“I was doubtful at this point, but I was always reminding myself why I started playing basketball every time I was in a rut, especially while injured. I knew that I didn’t want to just quit now. I wanted to see what would happen if I didn’t let this dream go,” Razi said. “It also helped to have made friends on this journey who understood who I was and pushed me to keep fighting through every injury.” 

It felt as though it was time to put a close on his dreams of playing collegiately. That was until he had found his footing once again and landed an offer at Whitman College. It was an opportunity to show coaches and teammates that he was worth investing in. The summer before entering his first year in college, Razi faced a toe injury that required surgery. As a result of this, he had to medically register as a redshirt. After a long winded journey of making it to the college level and having to sit out his first year, he couldn’t help but reflect on the grit and passion that it took to get to this point.

Nothing could’ve prepared Razi for these road blocks that set him apart from his goals. He was able to utilize all his outlets in order to regain energy while pushing through the recovery process. He relied on his support system which included his family, specifically his parents who were a big part in helping to keep his mindset strong. They continued to remind Razi of the hard work it had taken to even reach the point of being recruited. Having people in his corner to keep going was something he cherished the most and on top of that, he began to attend mental skills training at UPB, helping him to regain the confidence he needed in order to get back on the court. Having to watch from the sidelines can be discouraging for any athlete, but having the help of mental training gave him the consistency he needed to rewire his mindset into something that allowed him to find successes through his recovery journey.    

One thing he knew he could always fall back on was UPB. He started training at the gym five years ago, and found a solid group of people that he could rely on and look to in terms of growing his game, but most importantly growing his community. This 2024-2025 season was his first real season of college basketball where he averaged five points and two rebounds per game. He’s only growing from there and continues to put in the work as he always has. 

This time coming into the UPB gym, Razi is entering with a new role as a coach. He understands the responsibility and privilege that comes with having an influence on the kids that enter the gym. His main goal as an intern is to instill the grit and positivity that he learned to exemplify on his own journey to becoming a basketball player. 

“I know I’m at a point in my basketball career where I’ve learned a lot, and in turn I have a lot to share in terms of that. However, I know that I still have a lot of space to grow and there’s no better place I’d want to learn in that is at UPB. All the coaches have unique experiences that I’m excited to get to know more about,” Razi said. 

Full of excitement, Razi simply wants to see everyone having fun while ensuring that each person that steps into the gym puts in 100%. Just like everyone entering the gym, Razi himself is still a student of the game who is eager to pick up the skills and knowledge that seasoned UPB coaches have to offer. We hope you’re just as excited as us to welcome Ryan Razi to the team, and we can’t wait to see the way in which our players and coaches grow with the addition of a new coach!