Longtime strength and conditioning guru Al Biancani Ed.D is joining forces with head coach Mike Bibby, and will enter his first season as the Hornets’ Director of Strength and Conditioning in 2025-26.
With a remarkable track record spanning nearly four decades of conditioning world-class athletes, Biancani brings an unparalleled blend of experience, innovation, and leadership to the Hornets.
Long recognized as one of the premier strength and conditioning coaches in the country, Biancani first crossed paths with Bibby while he was the Sacramento Kings head strength and conditioning coach. When Biancani was first named to the Kings staff in 1987, he became the second-ever strength coach hired by an NBA team. Bibby developed a relationship with Biancani while he starred for the Kings from 2001-08.
Biancani spent 18 years with the Sacramento Kings (1987-05), and has owned his own fitness company (Biancani Fitness Dynamics) since 1983. Between 1983 and 2005, Biancani trained every professional athlete (all sports) in the Sacramento area.
Fittingly, Biancani began his coaching career at his alma mater, Sacramento State, as a graduate assistant coach with the track and field team in 1967. The Elko, Nev., native spent two years (1965-67) as a rare three-sport athlete for the Hornets, starring in football (running back), track and field (sprinter), and cross country. Biancani was captain of the track and field team and was the school record holder in the 400.
The 2025-26 season will be his third coaching stint at Sacramento State, as he was an assistant coach with the track and field team from 1985-87.
Not only did he work for the Sacramento Kings, he also spent six years with the WNBA’s Sacramento Monarchs, and four seasons with the Sacramento Knights of the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL).
The author of 25 publications, a speaker at numerous National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) national conventions, and a presenter at national and international workshops, clinics and seminars, Biancani has trained over 100 All-Americans. He has worked with numerous professional athletes from an array of sports, including basketball, football, baseball, soccer and boxing.
Between 1976 and 1987, he was a sprints coach, which includes serving as head coach of the Stanislaus State track and field team from 1976-83. He also had international coaching stops with the Canadian Olympic track and field team in 1976, and the Nigerian national track and field team in 1981. In fact, Biancani learned the Mach sprint drills (the ABC series) in Canada, and was the first to introduce the drills in the United States. In addition, in 1972, he was the first to develop adjustable width starting blocks.
Internationally, he was the head strength and conditioning coach for the Chinese Women’s national basketball team (2009-13), the Chinese Men’s National B Team (2009), and the Chinese Women’s Olympic Basketball Team (2008). He helped coach the Chinese women to a fourth place finish at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. He also coached junior national teams in China, Taiwan and Liaoning.
Biancani received his doctorate of education (physical education) from Utah State in 1972, master’s in physical education from Sacramento State in 1968, and bachelor’s degree in physical education in 1967.
Biancani has three children, four grandchildren and two great grandkids.
