Raptors Uprising name Nicholas Gartrelle as Head Coach and General Manager
November 21, 2023
Raptors Uprising GC announced today that Nicholas Gartrelle will lead the team as head coach and general manager. Gartrelle becomes the 3rd head coach in the organization’s history, after spending the last season in Minnesota serving as head coach of T-Wolves Gaming.
“The opportunity to be a leading member of a highly regarded organization like Raptors Uprising is surreal and fuels so much motivation,” Gartrelle said. “Establishing a positive and open atmosphere has always been something I prioritize for success, and with a strong roster in place, I look forward to reinforcing that connection with the team, the organization, and the fans. Winning is not only my ambition, but my expectation and the way we will achieve this is together.”
A native of Jamaica, Queens, New York City, Gartrelle, 25, began his career in the NBA 2K League in 2018 as a draft consultant for Nets GC and shortly thereafter transitioned to a role in business operations with the organization during the 2019 season. The following season, Gartrelle joined T-Wolves Gaming in Minnesota as assistant coach and was promoted to head coach for the 2021 season through to the 2023 season, becoming the youngest head coach in NBA 2K League history at that time.
During his time with T-Wolves, Gartrelle was nominated for the NBA 2K League Coach of the Year Award in his first season in the position, leading the team to win the Tip Off Tournament and into the playoffs. Gartrelle went on to become a 3-time nominee for the award, coaching the team to four playoffs appearances and delivering the best win percentage in the league each year of his tenure with the organization.
On the international stage, Gartrelle was selected as head coach for Brazil competing in the 2023 eFIBA Season 2 tournament in Sweden.
In his high school years, Gartrelle assisted his father, David, in his coaching work running basketball clinics and skills training with various teams worldwide. Gartrelle also attributes his coaching inspiration to his late brother, Vaughn, who coached women’s basketball at the collegiate level.