Education
Born in Medina, Minnesota, Saunders graduated from Wayzata High School in Plymouth, Minnesota in 2004.
Born in Medina, Minnesota, Saunders graduated from Wayzata High School in Plymouth, Minnesota in 2004.
He is known for his work in player development while with the Wizards staff A walk-on, Saunders played basketball at the University of Minnesota from 2004 to 2008 as a guard. He played only 20 games in his first two seasons in a backup role.
Saunders redshirted the 2006-2007 season due to a wrist injury and did not play any games in the 2007-2008 season.
Saunders graduated from Minnesota in 2008 with a bachelor"s degree in sport management. In 2009, he became an assistant coach of the Washington Wizards.
During his time at University of Minnesota, he was responsible for handling the academic and social improvements of players. When Saunders was born, his father Flip Saunders was an assistant coach at the University of Minnesota.
Ryan Saunders grew up in Wisconsin and South Dakota, as Flip later worked as head coach for College of Business Administration teams in those states, the Rapid City Thrillers (1988–1989), Louisiana Crosse Catbirds (1989–1994), and Sioux Falls Skyforce (1994–1995).
In 1995, the Saunders family returned to the Minneapolis–Saint Paul area, as Flip Saunders became head coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves, a position he would maintain for the rest of Ryan"s childhood. Saunders has taken part in multiple basketball camps for the youth and charitable organizations in Minnesota.
