Former SUNY Broome men’s basketball player and women’s basketball Assistant Coach, Doran Parham, recently returned to his alma mater to speak with current student-athletes.
Parham, a successful SUNY Broome alum who is now a Property Manager working in the development and real estate business for Cedarland Development Group in Buffalo, NY, spent multiple days with the women’s basketball team earlier this month in attending practices and games. Parham spoke with the members of the team and shared his experiences as a former SUNY Broome student-athlete and his transition to an Assistant Coach for the Hornets and then to a successful professional career in Buffalo, NY.
The Binghamton, NY native reconnected with women’s basketball Head Coach Mike Huggler who he assisted during the entire 2014-15 season and at points in the 2016-17 season, along with reconnecting with several childhood and young-adult friends and peers among the coaching staff of the men’s basketball team. Parham spoke to the quality of community around SUNY Broome Athletics when talking about how enjoyable of an experience it was to return to his alma mater and reconnect with several Binghamton, NY and SUNY Broome basketball personalties he grew up knowing. Parham cherished the opportunity and was excited to watch the women’s and men’s 2024-25 home openers in the redesigned Baldwin Gymnasium.
After playing for the Hornets during the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons and assisting the women’s team during the 2014-15 season, Parham moved on to Buffalo State where he obtained a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a master’s degree in Public Administration. He continued as an assitant during winter break of his classes at Buffalo State during the 2016-17 year. Now a Property Manager at Cedarland Development Group, Parham has carved out a successful career in the Buffalo, NY area where he manages finances, accounting, and properties for a group looking to enhance and improve the city of Buffalo.
Back at SUNY Broome, Parham hopes that in his time as an Assistant Coach and in his visits with the team earlier this month, he was able to enhance and improve the lives of the student-athletes. He views himself as a translator and a mentor, having experienced the lifestyle of a SUNY Broome student-athlete himself, hoping to teach the keys to life outside of basketball like family principles, communication, and leadership. Whether it is on the court or in the office, Parham said he learned that the most important thing is for everyone to do whatever it takes to impact the team in any way, taking on whatever role they may need to. If you work hard every day in practice, he says, the games will be the easy part.
Parham’s story shows the lasting impact that relationships made in the Binghamton, NY area and at SUNY Broome can have. Doran always stays in touch with Coach Huggler and has coached AAU basketball in Binghamton with childhood friend and Hornets men’s basketball Assistant Coach Eric Edwards. Parham says he always looked up to men’s basketball Head and Assistant Coaches Brendan Doherty and James Saunders, and now he returns to his alma mater to extend a connection to the current SUNY Broome Hornets.
In what would be a full-circle moment, Parham said he sees a lot of coaching in his future aspirations.
Submitted by: Logan Brown
Tags: Athletics
