Chris Cheng is the head coach of the Windsor Lancers men's basketball program and the sixth head coach in the proud history of Lancers men's basketball.
Since taking over the program in 2019, Cheng has helped establish Windsor as a consistent contender in the OUA while also building an impressive résumé on the national and international basketball stage.
During his tenure with the Lancers, Cheng has guided Windsor to multiple OUA playoff appearances, including an impressive 2022-23 campaign that saw the Lancers capture the OUA West Division title, advance to the OUA Final Four and return to the U SPORTS Top 10 for the first time in eight years. Windsor finished the season ranked No. 6 nationally. That season also produced one of the most significant individual accomplishments in program history, as Lancers captain Thomas Kennedy became the first player in Windsor men's basketball history to receive the Mike Moser Memorial Trophy as U SPORTS Men's Basketball Player of the Year.
Cheng's impact extends well beyond the Lancers program. He has been a prominent member of Canada Basketball's men's high-performance pathway since 2013, serving in a variety of coaching and leadership roles with Canada's national teams.
In 2023, Cheng made his debut as a head coach with Canada Basketball, leading Canada's U16 Men's National Team to a silver medal at the FIBA U16 Americas Championship in Mexico. The result also secured Canada a berth at the 2024 FIBA U17 Men's Basketball World Cup.
Cheng returned as Canada's U17 Men's National Team head coach for the 2024 FIBA U17 World Cup in Istanbul, Türkiye, where Canada advanced to the quarterfinals. He was subsequently selected to lead Canada's U17 program again in 2026, marking his second appearance as head coach at the FIBA U17 Men's Basketball World Cup. Canada Basketball also notes that Cheng led Canada to a second silver medal at the 2025 FIBA U16 AmeriCup.
Prior to his national-team head coaching appointments, Cheng served as an assistant coach with Canada's Junior Men's National Team at the 2018 FIBA Americas U18 Championship, where Canada captured a silver medal, and at the 2019 FIBA U19 World Championship in Greece. He was also an assistant coach with Canada's U17 Men's National Team at the 2022 FIBA U17 World Cup in Málaga, Spain. His earlier roles with Canada Basketball included Team Manager for the Cadet and Senior Men's National Teams from 2015 to 2017 and Manager of Youth Development from 2012 to 2015.
Before joining the Lancers, Cheng was the inaugural head coach of men's basketball at Nipissing University in North Bay. He built the program from the ground up and guided the Lakers into U SPORTS competition for the first time in 2014-15.Â
Cheng previously spent five seasons as an assistant coach and recruiter at York University, helping the Lions reach the OUA postseason in each of his five seasons. Earlier in his coaching career, he served as an assistant coach at Humber College, where the Hawks captured back-to-back provincial championships in 2005 and 2006 and made two appearances at the national Final Four. He also developed and coached Humber's junior varsity men's basketball program.
A graduate of York University, Cheng holds degrees in Sociology and Education. He is also a graduate of Humber College, where he completed diplomas in Early Childhood Education and Recreation and Leisure Services. He earned his Master of Kinesiology in Sport Management and Leadership from the University of Windsor.
Throughout his career, Cheng has been recognized for both his coaching and leadership, including receiving the provincial Jill Logon Teaching Award, the Sport Alliance Award and the Humber College Board of Governors Award.
Chris and his wife Siobhan live in LaSalle with their son Tyus and daughters Taia and Ryan. You can follow Coach Cheng on social media:
@coach_cheng
Coaching  Highlights:
- 2026: Named head coach of Canada's U17 Men's National Team for the FIBA U17 Men's Basketball World Cup, his second appointment as Canada's U17 head coach.
- 2025: Led Canada to a silver medal at the FIBA U16 AmeriCup.
- 2024: Led Canada at the FIBA U17 Men's Basketball World Cup in Istanbul, advancing to the quarterfinals.
- 2023: Led Canada's U16 Men's National Team to a silver medal at the FIBA U16 Americas Championship and qualification for the 2024 U17 World Cup.
- 2022-23: Guided Windsor to the OUA West Division championship, OUA Final Four and No. 6 national ranking.
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