Luke Kendall on developing basketball in India, 2006 FIBA World Champs & Sydney’s 2005 NBL Title
March 17, 2025
Brian Goorjian
- Nationality: USA
- Date of Birth: 28/07/53
- Place of Birth: Glendale, California (USA)
- Position: GRD
- Height (CM): 195
- Weight (KG): #N/A
- Junior Assoc: None
- College: Pepperdine (1973–1976)
- NBL DEBUT: 4/02/84
- AGE AT DEBUT: 30
- LAST NBL GAME: 17/06/84
- AGE AT LAST GAME: 30
- NBL History: Melbourne 1984
- Championships: 0
- None
BIO: Brian Goorjian was born in Glendale, California. Growing up he attended Crescenta Valley High School in La Crescenta, California, and was coached by his father, Ed. Goorjian led the schools 1971 team which to a 29-1 record before losing Verbum Dei in the CIF finals. Goorjian’s younger brothers, Kevin and Greg, also played basketball at Crescenta Valley.
After high school he accepted a scholarsip to play for the University of Pepperdine Waves.
After college he first arrived in Australia in 1977 and played for Port Melbourne Baseball club under coach Frank their, he later went on to play Basketball for the Melbourne Tigers under Lindsay Gaze.
FAMILY: His father Ed served as an assistant coach for Jerry Tarkanian at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas during the 1990s. Goorjan’s father Ed coached Brian and his two brothers Kevin and Greg at a high school level. His brother Kevin moved to Australia to serve as an assistant coach to Brian during his time with the Eastside Melbourne Spectres/South East Melbourne Magic.
NBL EXPERIENCE
Brian Goorjian made his NBL debut with the Melbourne Tigers at 30 years of age. He scored six points in his first game.
Was captain of Melbourne’s debut NBL squad in 1984. Goorjian would play one season in the NBL before moving into the coaching ranks.
Brian Goorjian played one season in the NBL. He averaged 21.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 7.5 assists in 24 NBL games.
CAREER RANKINGS:
– 6th in assists per game.
HIGHLIGHTS:
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | 31 | Melbourne | 11-13 (9) | 24 | 0.0 | 525 | 88 | 181 | 22 | 66 | 30 | 4 | 74 | 49 | 191 | 395 | 48% | 106 | 243 | 44% | 37 | 46 | 80% | 63% | 62% | 36 | Totals | 24 | 0 | 525 | 88 | 181 | 22 | 66 | 30 | 4 | 74 | 49 | 191 | 395 | 48.4% | 106 | 243 | 43.6% | 37 | 46 | 80.4% | 63% | 62% | 36 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | 31 | Melbourne | 11-13 (9) | 24 | 0.0 | 21.9 | 3.7 | 7.5 | 0.9 | 2.8 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 3.1 | 2.0 | 8.0 | 16.5 | 48% | 4.4 | 10.1 | 44% | 1.5 | 1.9 | 80% | 63% | 62% | 36 | Total | 24 | 0.0 | 21.9 | 3.7 | 7.5 | 0.9 | 2.8 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 3.1 | 2.0 | 8.0 | 16.5 | 48.4% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 43.6% | 4.4 | 10.1 | 80.4% | 63% | 62% | 36 |
CAREER HIGHS
| POINTS | REBOUNDS | ASSISTS | STEALS | BLOCKS | TURNOVERS | TRIPLE DOUBLES | 36 | 10 | 17 | 5 | 2 | 8 | 0 |
|---|
FIBA EXPERIENCE
After Phil Smyths less than one-year term as the Australian Boomers coach in 2001 which resulted in the teams shock non-qualification for the 2002 World Championships, Goorjian was appointed as coach in late 2001 when Smyth resigned and would hold the position until 2008. By becoming the Boomers coach, Goorjian was the first foreign born coach to the team in its history. Under his tutelage, the Boomers qualified for the 2004 Athens Olympics, where they finished ninth, dropping five places from their 2000 finish. At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the boomers improved their ranking to finish 7th.
In November 2020, Goorjian returned as head coach for the Australian mens national basketball team for the 2020 Olympics and 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup.
At the 2020 Japan Olympics, which were postponed due to COVID-19 to 2021, Goorjian coached the Australian Mens Basketball to a third place finish and the teams first medal ever at a major FIBA event.
| Season | Team | PTS | AST | STL | BLK | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 96% | 100% | 89% | 59% | ||||||
| 2 | 0 | 36 | 17 | 5 | 2 | ||||||
| Total | 191 | 395 | 48.4% | 106 | 243 | 43.6% |
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% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | 31 | Melbourne | 11-13 (9) | 24 | 0.0 | 525 | 88 | 181 | 22 | 66 | 30 | 4 | 74 | 49 | 191 | 395 | 48% | 106 | 243 | 44% | 37 | 46 | 80% | 63% | 62% | 36 | Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
AWARDS
- 6x NBL championship winning coach
- Member of NBL 25th Anniversary Team (named 2003).
COACHING HISTORY
Brian Goorjian's coaching career began in 1985 as an assistant coach with the Geelong Supercats. In 1986, he took on his first head coaching role with the Ballarat Miners in the SEABL, leading the team to the SEABL South Conference championship in 1987. This early success set the foundation for what would become one of the most illustrious coaching careers in basketball history. In 1988, Goorjian was appointed head coach of the Eastside Melbourne Spectres, marking his debut in the NBL. After missing the playoffs in his first two seasons, Goorjian led the Spectres to the semi-finals in 1990 and the Grand Final in 1991, where they fell to the Perth Wildcats. The Spectres then merged with the Southern Melbourne Saints in 1992 to form the South East Melbourne Magic, with Goorjian taking the reins as head coach. In his first season with the Magic, Goorjian guided the team to the NBL Championship, defeating the Melbourne Tigers and earning his first NBL Coach of the Year award. Over the next six years, Goorjian's Magic made the playoffs every season, claiming another championship in 1996 and earning him a second Coach of the Year honor. The Magic also reached the Grand Final in 1997 and 1998 but suffered defeats to the Melbourne Tigers and Adelaide 36ers, respectively. Following the 1998 season, the Magic merged with the North Melbourne Giants to form the Victoria Titans, and Goorjian was appointed head coach. He led the Titans to back-to-back Grand Final appearances in 1999 and 2000, losing to Adelaide and Perth, respectively. Despite regular-season success and consistent playoff appearances, financial struggles forced the Titans into administration in 2002, and Goorjian was controversially let go. Goorjian joined the Sydney Kings ahead of the 2002–03 season and transformed the struggling franchise into a powerhouse. Under his leadership, the Kings won their first-ever NBL Championship in 2003 and completed a historic three-peat with titles in 2004 and 2005. Over six seasons, Goorjian led the Kings to five Grand Final appearances, earning NBL Coach of the Year honors in 2008. However, the Kings folded shortly after his departure in 2008. In 2008, Goorjian signed a three-year deal with the South Dragons, a team that had finished last the previous season. In his first year, he guided the Dragons to an NBL Championship, defeating the Melbourne Tigers in the Grand Final. Goorjian was named NBL Coach of the Year for the sixth time. Despite the title win, the Dragons folded after the 2008–09 season, prompting Goorjian to explore opportunities overseas. In 2009, Goorjian moved to China to coach the Dongguan Leopards in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). Over six seasons, he led the Leopards to multiple playoff appearances, solidifying his reputation as a world-class coach. In 2015, he transitioned to an associate coaching role with the Guangdong Southern Tigers, focusing on player development, talent identification, and game analysis. He later served as a special advisor to the Shanghai Sharks from 2016 to 2018 and as an assistant coach with the Xinjiang Flying Tigers during the 2018–19 season, helping the team reach the CBA Grand Final. In 2020, after more than a decade away from the NBL, Goorjian returned as head coach of the Illawarra Hawks. He revitalized the franchise, leading the Hawks to back-to-back playoff appearances before stepping into a special advisory role in 2022. That same year, Goorjian was appointed head coach of the Bay Area Dragons, a guest team in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) and the East Asia Super League (EASL). He guided the Dragons to the PBA Grand Final and the EASL Final Four before the team folded in 2023. In 2024, Goorjian returned to the Sydney Kings as head coach, aiming to build on his legacy with the team he previously led to three championships. In January 2025, he coached his 850th NBL game, further cementing his status as the league's most experienced and successful coach. Goorjian's contributions extend beyond club basketball. He first served as head coach of the Australian Boomers from 2001 to 2008, leading the team to the 2004 Athens Olympics, the 2006 Commonwealth Games (where they won gold), and the 2008 Beijing Olympics. In 2020, Goorjian was reappointed as Boomers head coach and guided the team to its first-ever Olympic medal, a bronze, at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. He also led the Boomers to victory at the 2022 FIBA Asia Cup and continues to prepare the team for the Paris 2024 Olympics. With over 850 games coached and a winning percentage of 68.87 in the NBL, Goorjian is widely regarded as the most successful coach in league history. His six NBL championships, six Coach of the Year awards, and contributions to international basketball have solidified his legacy as one of the greatest coaches in the sport. A Basketball Australia Hall of Fame inductee, Goorjian remains an influential figure in basketball both in Australia and internationally.
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