TORONTO – The National Basketball Association (NBA) today announced that Leah MacNab, current Senior Director of Global Marketing Partnerships for NBA Canada, has been named Managing Director of NBA Canada.  MacNab, who will report to NBA Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer Mark Tatum, will replace Dan MacKenzie, who will step down on Aug. 15 to become the first full-time President of the Canadian Hockey League (CHL).

In her new role, MacNab, who has been with the NBA since 2005, will be responsible for overseeing the league’s basketball and business operations in Canada and continuing to grow the popularity of basketball and the NBA throughout the country.

“Leah’s experience working for the NBA in Canada for nearly 15 years makes her the ideal person to lead our ongoing efforts throughout the country,” said Tatum.  “Under Dan’s leadership, basketball and the NBA’s popularity in Canada have grown to all-time highs.  We thank Dan for his contributions to the NBA over the last two decades and wish him the best of luck in his new role.”

MacNab has been in her current role at the NBA since 2015, where she has directed and grown the league’s partnership business in Canada that saw a record 32 marketing partners activating throughout the country last season.  She has coordinated on some of the league’s biggest events in Canada – including the NBA Canada Series – and created the NBA Canada Partner Summit in 2018, which brought together many of the league’s partners in Canada to share best practices and use the game of basketball to engage the Canadian business community.  In 2018, MacNab received the Canadian Sports Business “Five to Watch” Award, recognizing her as one of the top sports executives in Canada under 40 years old.

“I am honored to have the opportunity to lead the NBA in Canada,” said MacNab.  “Following a historic season for the league in the country that culminated with the Toronto Raptors’ first championship, I look forward to finding new ways to engage our passionate fans across the country and continue to grow the game.”

MacKenzie joined the NBA in 1998 and spent the last eight years as Managing Director in Canada.  He spearheaded many of the league’s signature achievements in the country, including the first NBA All-Star held outside the U.S. with NBA All-Star 2016 in Toronto, the growth of the NBA Canada Series, and the expansion of the Jr. NBA program in partnership with Canada Basketball.

This season, MacKenzie was instrumental in the NBA’s record-breaking year in Canada, including the most-viewed NBA season in history, a record number of national partnerships, and the all-time mark for NBA merchandise sales.

“I am grateful to have had the opportunity to work at such a special organization for more than 20 years,” said MacKenzie.  “I am so proud of what my team has been able to accomplish in taking the NBA and the game of basketball to unprecedented heights in Canada.  It has been an incredible experience, and I know Leah is the right person to lead the NBA’s efforts in Canada for years to come.”