Chandler Graves enters his fourth season at Rhode Island in 2026-27. He joined the staff as the Director of Basketball Operations in August of 2023. After his first season on staff, he got promoted and added Assistant Coach to his title.
Graves came to Rhode Island from Northern Illinois, where he spent the 2022-23 season as a Video Coordinator for head coach Rashon Burno. Before that, Graves spent a season at UC Santa Barbara under head coach Joe Pasternack as a Graduate Assistant, assisting in all aspects of the Gauchos program, including video and player development.
Graves day to day includes many aspects of the program such as player development, assist in offensive strategies, scout team, off-court player development, liaison for men’s basketball academics, all team travel, summer camps, housing coordinator, scouting preparation, and other day-to-day tasks
In coming to Rhode Island, Graves is working with head coach Archie Miller for the second time in his career. He was a student manager for two seasons with Miller at Indiana, where Graves also interned for one year with Indiana Director of Athletic Performance Clif Marshall.
Graves has been a part in development of multiple professionals and high level collegiate athletes. Some including Ajay Mitchell (UC Santa Barbara/Oklahoma City Thunder), Yonic Konan Niederhauser (Northern Illinois/Los Angeles Clippers, Trayce Jackson-Davis (Indiana/Toronto Raptors), Miles Norris (UC Santa Barbara, Boston Celtics), Cole Swider (Miami Heat/Anadolu Efes), Romeo Langford (Indiana/Boston Celtics), James Nunnally (UC Santa Barbara/Minnesota Timberwolves), Isaiah Roby (Nebraska/Oklahoma City Thunder), David Coit (Northern Illinois/Kansas/ Maryland) and many more.
A native of Connersville, Ind., Graves also interned at DistinXion, a Zeller Family Program, under former Notre Dame basketball standout Luke Zeller.
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Graves earned his bachelor of science in kinesiology with emphasis in sport marketing and management degree from Indiana University. He received his Master of Arts degree from University of California, Santa Barbara in education. He was also able to get his seconds master’s degree from Northern Illinois with a Master of Science in sport management.
updated 5/12/2026
