DETROIT, Mich. —The Armenian National Committee of America Eastern Region (ANCA-ER) will be honoring Detroit Pistons coach Rex Kalamian with the ANCA-ER Pinnacle Award at its 16th annual gala on Saturday, October 29, 2022 at the historic Dearborn Inn.
Kalamian is the first recipient of the Pinnacle Award and is being recognized for his contributions to the Armenian Cause.
Since 1995, he has been an integral part of the National Basketball Association (NBA), serving as an assistant coach to the Toronto Raptors, Los Angeles Clippers and Sacramento Kings. In 2021, he became the assistant coach for the Detroit Pistons.
As a grandchild of an Armenian Genocide survivor, Kalamian never forgot about his roots. In fact, earlier this year, Kalamian was selected to serve as the new head coach for the Armenian national team.
“I’m very proud about what the definition of an Armenian person represents,” Kalamian mentioned after he joined the Armenian national team. “When you think of Armenian people as a whole you think of a resilient group of people, a respectful group of people and a hardworking nation, and that’s what I’m trying to represent,” said Kalamian in an interview with the Armenian Weekly’s Andre Khatchaturian.
Just this past summer, Kalamian traveled to Malta to begin his training sessions with the Armenian national team. The group participated in the 2022 International Basketball Federation’s European Championship for Small Countries. The team not only participated in the games but even brought home the gold by beating Malta’s national team, 84-68.
Kalamian posted a celebratory picture of himself with the Armenian basketball team proudly holding up gold medals and Armenian flags on his Instagram in early July. In his caption, he stated, “Congratulations to the players of the Armenian National Basketball Team on winning the gold in the FIBA Small Countries European Championship and the entire Armenian basketball community. Coaching this group has been a tremendous experience and I look forward to helping grow basketball in Armenia for many years.”
“I want to congratulate Coach Rex Kalamian on receiving the region’s first ever Pinnacle Award for his leadership and for bringing the Armenian National Basketball Team to the forefront of the international basketball community. As Michiganders, we are very proud to have Coach Kalamian as the assistant coach of the Detroit Pistons. His dedication and loyalty to the Armenian people and cause are exemplary and worthy of acknowledgement,” said Dzovinar Hatsakordzian, ANCA-ER gala chair.
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