El Camino Real selects Shawn Kolani to be boys’ basketball coach

Shawn Kolani, a former girls’ basketball player at Taft who’s the sister of former NBA player Jordan Farmar, has been named the boys’ basketball coach at El Camino Real.

Kolani has been working in player development and spent one season coaching at Taft under boys’ coach Derrick Taylor, who gave her high praise.

“She’s a real good coach and gender plays no role,” Taylor said. “She’s going to be successful.”

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A first step for Kolani will be dealing with the fallout from the dismissal of longtime coach Joe Wyatt, who was helping prepare a number of promising young players, including his freshman son JD.

Kolani stepped in for Taylor during a game in 2019 when he was sick. She is at least the third woman to be coaching a City Section boys’ basketball team, joining coaches at Roybal and Sherman Oaks CES.

Kolani enrolled at Taft in the fall of 2008 as a freshman and later played for College of the Canyons.

She was head coach last season for Glendale Academy boys’ team. She said she is hoping for a “seamless transition” and wants to start immediately when she meets the team on Friday. She’s 28.