For one last dance, Brian Goorjian, one of the greatest basketball coaches in history, is going back to his old haunts.
In Australia, basketball is quickly becoming one of the most popular sports. For hoops enthusiasts from “Down Under,” the last name Goorjian is a sign of achievement. The Glendale, California native is regarded as one of Oceania’s best basketball instructors. This is partly because of his productive time spent leading the Sydney Kings in the early 2000s; Coach Goorjian will take over that squad beginning in the 2024–2025 National Basketball League season.
In less than a week following the dismissal of former head coach Mahmoud Abdelfattah, the 70-year-old Goorjian signed to a three-year contract with the purple and gold on March 5. At a press conference held at Qudos Bank Arena, the Armenian was named head coach. Goorjian’s signing is being referred to by some as a “fairytale” comeback.
“To be honest, after we built everything from the ground up and were winning consistently, I never thought I’d leave Sydney the first time. It felt like home to me, and I thought I’d finish my coaching career there, as we’d built something really special,” Goorjian stated in a news conference.
With 803 games under his belt, Coach Goorj, as he is known, has coached more games than any other coach in NBL history. He also has a 68.87 winning %. From 1977 till 1985, the six-time NBL champion played basketball for the Melbourne Tigers.
The Eastside Spectres, South East Melbourne Magic, Victoria Titans, Sydney Kings, South Dragons, Guangdong Southern Tigers (assistant coach), Xinjiang Flying Tigers (assistant coach), Illawarra Hawks, Bay Area Dragons, and finally the Sydney Kings were among the teams he would later go on to coach in a legendary career.
Goorjian remarked, “I’ve had a lot of amazing opportunities come my way in my career, so it will be amazing to be able to come full circle and return to where I’ve made so many memorable memories and my photo is hanging from the rafters.”
From 2001 to 2008, Goorjian led the Australian men’s national basketball team as its head coach. He became the first Australian coach ever to be born outside of the country. In 2020, Coach Goorj made a comeback to the Boomers, and he is best known for having guided the national team to its first Olympic medal—a bronze medal victory over Slovenia led by Luka Dončić, 107-93.
Hoops Capital co-owner and special adviser Luc Longley said of Goorjian, “I’m excited to have a leader of his magnitude in charge of our basketball department, one that resonates with players and fans alike – not to mention having his energy around the club on a daily basis.” Starting at centre alongside Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Dennis Rodman, Longley is a three-time NBA champion.
“For us, it goes beyond that, with his profound understanding of Australian basketball, this competition, and the talent in it,” Longley said. “There is, of course, the historical connection between Brian and our club.”
As the 2023–24 season draws to a close, the Sydney Kings, who have won the previous two NBL titles, will not be able to complete a three-peat.
Goorjian stated, “Even though the club’s hopes of winning a three-peat this season weren’t met, I accepted the position because I believe I can contribute my skills and strengths to the club and help the programme win more titles.”
Goorjian’s time as a coach with the Kings is probably coming to an end, but he is eager to get things going.
“I have no idea how long it will take—five years, 10 years, three years, etc. I have a lot of energy right now and want to conclude my coaching as a King, so I’ll know when it’s finished,” Goorjian remarked.
Be the first to comment