St. Mary’s Ryken has turned to a coach with NBA experience, deep Maryland roots and a long track record of developing players to lead its boys basketball program.
The Leonardtown school announced that Prince George’s County native Keith Veney will take over as head coach, replacing Jamal Hulum, who stepped down earlier this year after four seasons with the Knights. Veney arrives after three seasons on Jason Kidd’s staff with the Dallas Mavericks, where he worked in player development and helped guide the team during its run to the 2024 NBA Finals.
His job in Dallas centered on the day-to-day details that shape players: shooting, ball-handling, footwork and decision-making. He also worked closely with the Mavericks’ coaching, performance and basketball operations staffs.
“Keith brings an exceptional combination of basketball knowledge, player development experience and a genuine commitment to mentoring young people,” St. Mary's Ryken athletic director Steve Howes said.
“His experience at every level of the game -- from high school to professional basketball -- will be an incredible asset to our student-athletes. Just as importantly, Keith understands that our responsibility as coaches extends well beyond wins and losses.
We are excited about the leadership, energy and vision he will bring to our boys basketball program.”
Veney is no stranger to high school basketball in Maryland. Before Dallas, he had two separate head coaching stops at Riverdale Baptist School in Upper Marlboro and Bishop McNamara, his alma mater in Forestville. Bishop McNamara also competes in the WCAC, giving him another direct link to the conference he’s now rejoining.
At Bishop McNamara, Veney coached more than 10 future Division I players and also served as a student support specialist. That role included academic planning and helping athletes navigate the jump to college.
There’s a family tie here, too. Veney’s nephew, Jymin Veney, is a senior guard at St.
John’s College High School in Washington, D.C. Jymin earned first-team All-WCAC honors last season, is rated a four-star prospect and has Division I offers from George Mason, George Washington, St.
Bonaventure, Delaware, Old Dominion, Hofstra and Saint Joseph's.
Veney’s resume stretches far beyond coaching. At Marshall University, he set an NCAA Division I record by hitting 15 3-pointers in one game, a mark that still stands. He also spent time with the Sacramento Kings and played professionally in France, Israel, Poland, Iceland and the Dominican Republic.
After his playing career, Veney moved into sports marketing at Nike, where he worked with NBA and WNBA players, agents, general managers and coaches. He later founded Shot Doc Nation, LLC, and trained professional players through that platform. He also launched the Keith Veney Leadership Academy, which focuses on life skills, financial literacy and fitness, and created the She Got Game Classic, a national high school girls basketball tournament.
For St. Mary’s Ryken, the hire brings in a coach with pro experience, local connections and a background built around development.
“We look forward to welcoming Coach Veney to the Knight community and seeing the impact his experience and commitment to developing the whole student-athlete will have on our program,” Howes said.
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