When Onsi Saleh was working shifts at his family's west Edmonton motel after high school basketball practice, an NBA front office job wasn't exactly a realistic career path. There was no blueprint, no connections, and no obvious road in.
Now 39, Saleh is the general manager of the Atlanta Hawks one of only two Canadian general managers in the NBA and his first full season calling the shots has Atlanta sitting at 45 wins and 33 losses, firmly in playoff position in the Eastern Conference.
Growing Up in Alberta
Saleh was born in Austin, Texas to Jordanian immigrant parents, but grew up entirely in Alberta. The family first settled in Lougheed a village of fewer than 300 people southeast of Edmonton then Vermilion, before moving to west Edmonton during his high school years, where they operated a motel.
He played basketball at Ross Sheppard High School, winning a provincial championship, but couldn't pursue post-secondary basketball due to his responsibilities with the family business. He enrolled at the University of Alberta instead, earning a degree in biological sciences with plans to become a doctor, then added a degree in history before his passion for the NBA pulled him in a different direction entirely.
"The cool thing about growing up in Alberta was it was really a blue-collar province," Saleh has said. "There's a natural grit to everyone there that was instilled in me."
The Road to the NBA
Saleh studied the career paths of other NBA executives and noticed many had legal backgrounds. He enrolled at Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego, then transferred to Tulane University in New Orleans for its sports law program, landing a coveted externship with the San Antonio Spurs in the process.
He spent five years with the Spurs under head coach Gregg Popovich before joining the Golden State Warriors, where he rose to vice president of basketball strategy and team counsel under Steve Kerr. He joined the Hawks as assistant general manager in 2024 and was promoted to general manager in April 2025.
The Trae Young Trade
Saleh's biggest and most debated move came in January 2026, when he traded Trae Young the face of the Hawks franchise for nearly a decade to the Washington Wizards in exchange for guard CJ McCollum and forward Corey Kispert.
Young, a four-time All-Star, leaves Atlanta as the franchise's all-time leader in assists and three-pointers. Despite his individual brilliance, Atlanta had missed the playoffs in back-to-back seasons, and the Hawks were 2-8 in the games Young played this season before the trade.
The deal was driven by the emergence of a younger core Saleh had been quietly building around. Dyson Daniels the reigning Most Improved Player who led the NBA in steals the previous season and forward Jalen Johnson, an All-Star candidate this year, gave the Hawks a different identity than the one Young was built for. Trading Young also cleared significant salary, giving Saleh flexibility to continue reshaping the roster.
A Season That's Validating the Vision
At 45-33, the Hawks have responded. Johnson has emerged as one of the more compelling young forwards in the Eastern Conference this season, drawing MVP conversation. Daniels continues to be one of the league's most disruptive defensive players.
Saleh's offseason moves have also held up. He signed Nickeil Alexander-Walker, acquired big man Kristaps Porzingis, and engineered a draft-night trade with the New Orleans Pelicans that could land Atlanta a top pick in the loaded 2026 draft the most favorable selection between the Pelicans and Milwaukee Bucks, which could end up being the first overall pick.
The Hawks were widely praised as having one of the best offseasons in the league under Saleh's direction.
Still Thinking About Edmonton
Despite the trajectory his career has taken, Saleh has said Alberta stays with him.
"My parents are still there, one of my brothers. I go back every summer to hang out," he has said. "I'd love to share what I've learned with the University of Alberta and the Edmonton basketball community, and help the next generation maybe they'll be my boss one day."
Sources: University of Alberta Faculty of Arts, RealGM, ESPN, CBC Sports
