Shawn Dennis on Whether Too Many Foreign Coaches Are Hurting the NBL, Plus Japanese Stars Who Belong in the NBL and Aussies Who Should Be Playing in Japan
November 13, 2024
Joey Wright
- Nationality: USA
- Date of Birth: 4/9/1968
- Place of Birth: Alton, Illinois (USA)
- Position: GRD
- Height (CM): 191
- Weight (KG): 84
- Junior Assoc: None
- College: Drake (1986-1987) / Texas (1988-1991)
- NBL DEBUT: 22/04/95
- AGE AT DEBUT: 26
- LAST NBL GAME: 20/04/96
- AGE AT LAST GAME: 27
- NBL History: Geelong 1995-96
- Championships: 0
- None
BIO: Wright was born in Alton, Illinois (USA) and enrolled at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa after high school.
NBL EXPERIENCE
Joey Wright made his NBL debut with the Geelong Supercats at 26 years of age. He scored 10 points in his first game.
1996
1996 would see coach Jim Calvin replaced by up-and-coming coach Ian Stacker, with the team overhauling its roster. Major moves included securing Rupert Sapwell (via South East Melbourne) and Matt Scalzi (via Adelaide) to fill the departures of David Graham and Justin Cass, and bringing in powerhouse import Ray Owes to replace Jeff Arnold. Owes was joined by returning guard Joey Wright, who was injured after just two games and replaced by high-scoring Orlando Williams.
Wright’s season was cut short almost as soon as it began, as he featured in just two games before injury ended his campaign. He tallied 14 points and 2 assists in the season opener against Newcastle on April 13, playing 42 minutes, then added 4 points, 4 assists, and 2 rebounds in 34 minutes against Wollongong on April 20. Despite showing flashes of his veteran leadership and defensive energy, Wright was quickly ruled out and replaced by Orlando Williams, who went on to average (23.5 points) and become one of the league’s top scorers.
Geelong’s season ended with a 6–20 record and the club surrendering its NBL licence due to financial constraints and league restructuring. Wright’s brief return was a small footnote in a turbulent final campaign for the franchise.
Joey Wright played two seasons the Geelong Supercats. He averaged 21.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 5.6 assists in 27 NBL games.
CAREER RANKINGS:
– 39th in assists per game.
Dan Boyce is a die-hard Sydney Kings fan who grew up in Melbourne during the roaring 90's of Australian Basketball and spent far too much time collecting Futera NBL Basketball cards.
NBL TOTAL STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 28 | Geelong | 6-20 (13) | 2 | 77.0 | 18 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 7 | 19 | 37% | 1 | 7 | 14% | 3 | 8 | 38% | 39% | 39% | 14 |
| 1995 | 27 | Geelong | 9-17 (12) | 25 | 1,095.0 | 556 | 140 | 146 | 53 | 87 | 46 | 6 | 110 | 86 | 169 | 381 | 44% | 55 | 137 | 40% | 163 | 195 | 84% | 59% | 52% | 39 | Totals | 27 | 1172 | 574 | 143 | 152 | 53 | 90 | 46 | 6 | 116 | 89 | 176 | 400 | 44.0% | 56 | 144 | 38.9% | 166 | 203 | 81.8% | 59% | 51% | 39 |
NBL PER GAME STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 28 | Geelong | 6-20 (13) | 2 | 38.5 | 9.0 | 1.5 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.0 | 1.5 | 3.5 | 9.5 | 37% | 0.5 | 3.5 | 14% | 1.5 | 4.0 | 38% | 39% | 39% | 14 |
| 1995 | 27 | Geelong | 9-17 (12) | 25 | 43.8 | 22.2 | 5.6 | 5.8 | 2.1 | 3.5 | 1.8 | 0.2 | 4.4 | 3.4 | 6.8 | 15.2 | 44% | 2.2 | 5.5 | 40% | 6.5 | 7.8 | 84% | 59% | 52% | 39 | Total | 27 | 43.4 | 21.3 | 5.3 | 5.6 | 2.0 | 3.3 | 1.7 | 0.2 | 4.3 | 3.3 | 6.5 | 14.8 | 44.0% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 38.9% | 2.1 | 5.3 | 81.8% | 59% | 51% | 39 |
CAREER HIGHS
| POINTS | REBOUNDS | ASSISTS | STEALS | BLOCKS | TURNOVERS | TRIPLE DOUBLES | 39 | 10 | 10 | 5 | 2 | 8 | 0 |
|---|
NBA EXPERIENCE
Joey Wright was drafted by the Phoenix Suns with pick #50 in the 1991 NBA Draft.
| Season | Team | PTS | AST | STL | BLK | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 95% | 98% | 96% | 65% | ||||||
| 2 | 0 | 39 | 10 | 5 | 2 | ||||||
| Total | 176 | 400 | 44.0% | 56 | 144 | 38.9% |
NBA TOTAL STATISTICS
| YEAR | AGE | TEAM | POS | GP | GS | MINS | PTS | TRB | AST | ORB | DRB | STL | BLK | TOV | PF | FG | FGA | FG% | 3P | 3PA | 3P% | FT | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 28 | Geelong | 6-20 (13) | 2 | 77.0 | 18 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 7 | 19 | 37% | 1 | 7 | 14% | 3 | 8 | 38% | 39% | 39% | 14 |
| 1995 | 27 | Geelong | 9-17 (12) | 25 | 1,095.0 | 556 | 140 | 146 | 53 | 87 | 46 | 6 | 110 | 86 | 169 | 381 | 44% | 55 | 137 | 40% | 163 | 195 | 84% | 59% | 52% | 39 | Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
COLLEGE
He played on the Drake Bulldogs basketball squad during the 1986-87 NCAA season but received little playing time on the court.
Wright transferred after his freshman year to the University of Texas for a chance to play with the school's prestigious Longhorns basketball team.
After sitting out as a redshirt sophomore in 1987-88, Wright was selected as the Longhorn's point guard from 1988 through 1991.
Wright and teammates' Lance Blanks and Travis Mays stellar offensive performance dubbed the trio as the "BMW Scoring Machine" during the 1989-90 basketball season.
Wright was particularly known for his hustling and effective jump shots that greatly helped contribute to the "Scoring Machine".
The Longhorn team won the Southwest Conference tournament that season and advanced to the Elite Eight in the 1990 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament.
COACHING HISTORY
Wright was the head coach of three team's in the NBL, the Brisbane Bullets, which won an NBL championship in 2007, the now-defunct Gold Coast Blaze and the Adelaide 36ers.
He is a three-time NBL Coach of the Year (2003/04, 2006/07 and 2016/17), and was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011.
Related
HAVE MORE INFORMATION ON THIS PLAYER?
Whilst we try to source as much information as we can for every player who has ever played in the NBL some information on a player profile may be missing. If you have additional information on a player you'd like us to add to a profile, please send it to us using the enquiry form below.
Submissions are then sent to info@aussiehoopla.com
