Erik Braal
{{short description|Dutch professional basketball coach|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name = Erik Braal
| image = Erik Braal coaching West-Brabant Giants (2010) (cropped).jpg
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| caption = Braal as coach of the West-Brabant Giants in 2010
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| position = Head coach
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| league = BNXT League
| team = Heroes Den Bosch
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| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1971|05|16}}
| birth_place = Werkendam, Netherlands
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| nationality = Dutch
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| coach_start = 2003
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| cyears1 = 2003–2008
| cteam1 = Rotterdam
| cyears2 = 2008–2010
| cteam2 = West-Brabant Giants
| cyears3 = 2011–2013
| cteam3 = Aris Leeuwarden
| cyears4 = 2013–2015
| cteam4 = Oberwart Gunners
| cyears5 = 2015–2020
| cteam5 = Donar
| cyears6 = 2021–present
| cteam6 = Heroes Den Bosch
| highlights = *4× Dutch League champion (2016–2018, 2022)
- 4× Dutch Cup champion (2017, 2018, 2024, 2025)
- 3× Dutch Supercup champion (2016, 2018, 2022)
- 4× DBL Coach of the Year (2006, 2008, 2017, 2018)
- FIBA Europe Cup Coach of the Year (2018)
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Erik Braal (born May 16, 1971) is a Dutch professional basketball coach, currently serving as head coach for Heroes Den Bosch. He was the head coach of Donar from 2015 until 2020. Braal was the most successful coach ever for the club with seven trophies won.
Career
Braal was head coach of Rotterdam Basketbal for five years, from 2003 till 2008.{{cite news|author=Rob Kramp |url=http://www.volkskrant.nl/vk/nl/2844/Archief/archief/article/detail/3003822/2011/10/31/Coach-Erik-Braal-heeft-energie-en-kennis-getankt-in-sabbatical.dhtml |title=Coach Erik Braal heeft energie en kennis getankt in sabbatical |language=nl |work=Volkskrant.nl |date=2011-10-31 |accessdate=2014-06-29}} After that he became head coach of West-Brabant Giants. He led the team to the Dutch Finals for the first time in club history, in 2009–10.
In 2011 he signed with Aris Leeuwarden.{{cite web|author= Clay Rupert |url=http://www.rijnmond.nl/sport/23-05-2011/coach-erik-braal-naar-aris |title=Coach Erik Braal naar Aris |work=Rijnmond.nl |date=2011-05-23 |accessdate=2014-06-29}} In 2012–13 he led Aris to the Finals, also for the first time in history. His team surprised everyone by beating heavy favorite EiffelTowers Den Bosch in the semifinals.
In March 2014, he signed with Austrian team Oberwart Gunners.{{cite web|url=http://www.basketball.nl/nbb-organisatie/nieuws/nieuws/!/10124/erik-braal-naar-oberwart-gunners-in-oostenrijk |title= Erik Braal naar Oberwart Gunners in Oostenrijk | work=Basketball.nl |date= |accessdate=2014-06-29}} Oberwart Gunners fired Braal during the 2004 / 2015 season due to poor results.
In June 2015, he signed a two-year deal with Donar Groningen.On 14 April 2020, Donar announced Braal's contract would not be extended in mutual consent. Braal won the most trophies in club history, with seven in total.{{cite web|url=https://www.dutchbasketballleague.nl/nieuws/donar-en-braal-gaan-uit-elkaar/|title=Donar en Braal gaan uit elkaar|work=Basketball League|accessdate=14 April 2020}}
On 15 June 2021, Braal signed a 2-year contract with Heroes Den Bosch.{{cite web |title=Heroes Den Bosch verwelkomt head coach Erik Braal - Heroes Den Bosch - Basketball |url=https://heroesdenbosch.com/nieuws/heroes-den-bosch-verwelkomt-head-coach-erik-braal |website=Heroes Den Bosch |access-date=15 June 2021 |date=15 June 2021|language=en}} He won the 2021–22 Dutch national championship with Den Bosch after beating ZZ Leiden 3–2 in the Dutch finals.
Honours
- 3× Dutch Basketball League: (2016, 2017, 2018)
- 3× Dutch Supercup: (2016, 2018, 2022)
- 2× Dutch Cup: (2017, 2018)
- Dutch national champion: (2022)
- 2× Dutch Cup: (2024, 2025){{Cite web |date=2025-03-23 |title=Basketballers Den Bosch winnen heerlijke bekerfinale van dapper Donar |url=https://nos.nl/artikel/2560860-basketballers-den-bosch-winnen-heerlijke-bekerfinale-van-dapper-donar |access-date=2025-03-24 |website=nos.nl |language=nl}}
=Individual awards=
- 4× DBL Coach of the Year: (2006, 2008, 2017, 2018)
- FIBA Europe Cup Fan Vote Coach of the Year: (2018){{cite news |title=Winners of FIBA Europe Cup Fan Vote announced |url=https://www.fiba.basketball/europecup/17-18/news/winners-of-fiba-europe-cup-fan-vote-announced |access-date=26 March 2022 |work=FIBA Europe Cup |date=4 May 2018}}
References
{{reflist|2}}
{{Heroes Den Bosch current roster}}
{{Navboxes|title=Coaching positions|list=
{{Rotterdam Basketbal coaches}}
{{Aris Leeuwarden coaches}}
{{Donar (basketball club) coaches}}
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Braal, Erik}}
Category:Dutch basketball coaches
Category:Dutch Basketball League coaches
Category:People from Werkendam
Category:Feyenoord Basketball coaches
Category:Donar (basketball club) coaches
Category:West-Brabant Giants coaches
Category:Heroes Den Bosch coaches
Category:Aris Leeuwarden coaches