UBC Seasons: 1
Overall record: 23-8 (.742)
Conference record: 15-5 (.750)
Canada West Playoff record: 2-1 (.667)
*As of March, 2026
Phil Jalalpoor has completed his first season at the helm of the Thunderbirds, serving as the interim head coach for the 2025-26 campaign. Jalalpoor previously served as a full-time assistant coach for the program for one season, after he retired from playing basketball professionally.
In his inaugural season in charge, Jalalpoor led the T-Birds to a 15-5 record in conference play and a trip to both the Canada West Final and U SPORTS Final 8 for the second consecutive season. UBC also won the regular season series over rivals UVic for the first time since 2018-19, although it was the Vikes who prevailed in the conference championship game in an 89-74 win in Victoria. The T-Birds then dropped two close games at nationals against No. 2 seed TMU and No. 3 seed Laval.Â
Jalalpoor first arrived at UBC as a player in 2015, after transferring from Olds College in Alberta. The T-Birds posted a conference record of 52-8 in his three seasons as starting point guard, with Jalalpoor named a Canada West All-Star in 2017-18. Off the court, he was a three-time Academic All-Canadian, won the Canada West Ken Shields Student-Athlete Community Award in 2016-17, and received the Bobby Gaul Memorial Trophy as UBC's outstanding graduating male athlete at the 2018 Big Block awards.
Following his UBC career, Jalalpoor embarked on a professional career that began in Spain. He also played in Austria (where he led the league in assists), Iceland, and his native Germany. Internationally, he represented Iran at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, during which he faced off against the United States. After over half a decade playing in the pro ranks, Jalalpoor announced his retirement in 2024 and soon after began his coaching career.
Jalalpoor lives in Vancouver with his wife, UBC Softball alumna Mackenzie Siddall, and their two young children.
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