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Planells spent the 2021-2022 as an assistant coach at the University of Illinois. Prior to coming to Illinois Planells was the head women’s basketball coach at NAIA William Jessup University in Rocklin, Calif. In his lone season at the helm of the Warriors’ program, Planells was named Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC) Co-Coach of the Year after winning the program’s first conference championship and leading the team to the NAIA National Tournament for the second time in school history.

From 2012-19, Planells was an integral part of the Duke University women’s basketball program, serving as the associate head coach. During his time in Durham, Duke compiled a 171-63 (.731) record, capturing the ACC regular-season and tournament championships culminating in an Elite Eight appearance in 2013. Overall, Planells helped the Blue Devils to five NCAA tournament berths, adding two more Sweet 16 runs in 2015 and 2018.

Planells was key to Duke’s influx of talent during his tenure, securing top-five ranked recruiting classes in each season, highlighted by the nation’s top-rated class in 2015. That success on the recruiting trail also translated at the next level, as Planells and the Blue Devils staff developed 11 WNBA draft selections.

He was also named one of the top assistant coaches by NIKE and Next Chair.

Since 2018, Planells has also coached on the international stage, serving as the head coach of New Zealand’s U19 Women’s National Team. It marks a return to international competition for Planells who worked as a basketball consultant at the University of the East in the Philippines in 2012, just prior to taking on his role at Duke. He also served as the head coach of the Ryukyu Golden Kings of the Basketball Japan (BJ) League in 2007-08.

In addition to his time in the BJ League, Planells roots in the professional ranks run deep in the United States. From 2004-2010, he served as a scout for Marty Blake & Associates, the official scouting service of the NBA. And During the 2010-11 campaign, he was an assistant coach for the Maine Red Claws – now known as the Maine Celtics – of the NBA G League. Planells’ coaching résumé also includes a stint in the American Basketball Association (ABA) with the Hollywood Fame (2006-07).