How the Raptors use EngSci: from the class to the court

The introduction of positional tracking into NBA games has generated large data sets that help bring new understandings of the intricacies of the sport. With every player and ball movement on a basketball court being tracked, actions and events can be annotated on a scale that was previously not possible. The analysis of this data brings in a new set of statistics, far outside the traditional box score stats, that helps influence roster construction and coaching decisions.

As tools for acquiring and generating large and accurate data sets are getting more powerful, careers in analyzing "Big Data" are arising in numerous fields. The correct analysis of these data sets is imperative and may help generate insights that can lead to untapped potential within a wide array of disciplines.

Biography:

Eric Khoury, 33, became the youngest head coach in Raptors 905 franchise history in July 2022. A native of Toronto, Ontario, Khoury joined the Raptors organization in 2012 as an intern in the basketball operations department working with algorithms to detect basketball actions and plan defenses. In 2015, he was promoted to Manager of Basketball Operations and Analytics where he focused on college players and producing analytics reports for the coaching staff. Khoury joined the Raptors bench in 2017 as a member of former Head Coach Dwayne Casey’s staff while also serving as the Director of Analytics. As an assistant coach, he won an NBA Championship with the Raptors in 2019. He would be named lead assistant coach and offensive coordinator for Raptors 905 in 2019, helping lead the franchise to the best record in the league and leading the G League in offensive efficiency in 2020. Khoury then returned to the Raptors bench in 2021. A University of Toronto graduate, Khoury holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Aerospace Engineering and a Master of Applied Science in Experimental Fluid Dynamics.