BIO: Born in Melbourne, Khazzouh moved to Sydney as a child and attended Oakhill College in the suburb of Castle Hill.

He played rugby league as a youth before taking up basketball at age 13.

At age 18, Khazzouh was discovered by the NSW Institute of Sport after he earned a NSW Combined Independent Schools Sports Council major basketball award in 2004 while attending Oakhill College. Later that year, he signed with the West Sydney Razorbacks as a development player.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Julian Khazzouh made his NBL debut with the West Sydney Razorbacks at 18 years of age. He went scoreless in his first NBL game.

Khazzouh joined the West Sydney Razorbacks as a development player during the 2004/05 season. He made his NBL debut and his lone appearance of the season on 10 October 2004 against the Brisbane Bullets. He missed his only field goal attempt and played just under two minutes of action.

2005/06
Khazzouh did not play in the NBL in 2005/06 after being offered a position at Metro State College in Denver. He later chose to stay in Australia and play for the Razorbacks during the next season.

2006/07
In 2006/07, Khazzouh averaged 9.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 0.6 assists as the Razorbacks finished with a record of 5-28. Khazzouh’s numbers saw him finish second in the NBL Rookie of the Year voting behind Joe Ingles (South Dragons).

2007/08
By the 2007/08 season, the Razorbacks were in the midst of a multitude of financial problems. In a cost-cutting move, they would replace coach Cal Bruton with unproven young coach Rob Beveridge, who had been coaching the Australian junior men prior to his appointment and filled the roster with mainly NBL offcasts and young NBL talent.

Liam Rush was named team captain, and University of Loyola Marymount graduates Damian Martin, and Matthew Knight were added to bring a touch of youth to the squad. Ten games into the season, Martin suffered a knee injury that saw him miss the team’s remaining games, which saw Rhys Carter then elevated into the starting lineup.

West Sydney struggled to matchup against opposition team’s but were still able to double the number of wins from last season from 5 to 10. The team’s young frontcourt of Knight (12.0 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 1.1 assists) and Julian Khazzouh (11.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 1.2 assists) being the only positives seen during the Razorback’s dismal season.

2008/09
After struggling through the 2007/08 as the Razorbacks, West Sydney changed their name to the Sydney Spirit for the 2008/09 NBL season. The change was influenced by the Sydney Kings folding in 2008 and the Razorbacks ownership hoping to rebrand to Sydney in a effort to capitalise on the Sydney market.

The Spirit struggled to be competitive during the first half of the season, partly due to Damian Martin (5.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.9 steals) playing through a broken wrist suffered during the pre-season. To make things even worse, it became clear the club was in dire financial straits with attendances at the State Sports Centre rarely selling more than 2,000 tickets. A game against the Cairns Taipans in Round 21 made history when only a paltry 920 fans showed up, the lowest NBL attendance since the early 1980’s.

As a solution to keeping the team afloat and the NBL season alive, the Spirit’s ten contracted players and three coaches, including head coach Rob Beveridge, all agreed to live off just $150,000 between them to keep the franchise going—roughly $700 per week for Khazzouh. Shortly after team captain Liam Rush (who left for Sweden), big man Julian Khazzouh (Holland) and import Derrick Low would all leave the team for better deals overseas.

Despite the setbacks Khazzouh would average 15.1 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 1.2 assists as whilst the Spirit finished in eighth place on the ladder (11–19), missing the playoffs before exiting and leaving Sydney without a NBL team.

Khazzouh would finish out the season in Holland with Groningen Hanzevast Capitals.

2010/11
After the Sydney Kings licence was revoked in 2008 after club sponsor Firepower collapsed and the Kings were unable to pay player salaries, new ownership relaunched the Sydney Kings for the 2010/11 NBL season, returning to the league after a two-year absence.

The ‘Resurrection Squad’, the name given to the Sydney Kings roster which had returned to the league for the first time in two years with the team’s first moves being the hiring former Kings player Ian Robilliard as head coach and convincing a number of European based aussies to return to play for the team’s latest reincarnation.

Julian Khazzouh (Israel), Luke Cooper (Latvia) and Damien Ryan (Italy) all signed deals for the 2010/11 season, as was college graduate Ben Madgen (Augusta State University). The Kings then filled the remaining roster with offcast NBL talent, Graeme Dann (via State League), Luke Martin (via Wollongong) and Ben Knight (via Melbourne), who had played for the previous iteration of the Kings, was added and named co-captain along with Khazzouh. Robilliard added imports Taj McCullough and Rod Grizzard for excitement and scoring punch to the roster and the team was ready to return to the NBL.

Grizzard, who had previously put up 19 points per game with Singapore and 13 points per game with Melbourne struggled to produce as a King. He produced a megre 8 points per game on a 36% field goal percentage, resulting in the import axe swinging quickly, as he was released five games into the season.

The axe then fell for fellow import McCullough who after being told his contract was on the line prior to a game against New Zealand he managed only ten points on a lowly 5 from 17 from the field in a 80-94 home loss. After eight games Taj McCullough (11.6 points and 4.9 rebounds per game) would become the second import to be released by the Sydney Kings during the 2010/11 season.

Former NBA talent Trey Gilder (13.2 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.1 steals) replaced Taj McCullough then Patrick Sanders (13.3 points, 4 rebounds, and 1.7 assists) filled the shoes of Rod Grizzard as Robilliard looked to deliver a team capable of entertaining the valuable Sydney market while it was clear they would struggle to compete against other NBL team’s. The Kings limped home to a last place finish and a record of 8–20, the poor season likely costing Julian Khazzouh (17.4 points, 10 rebounds, and 1.7 assists, 1 steal, and 1.8 blocks per game) a MVP trophy as mid-season he was the hot favourite for the award but ended up finishing second in the voting behind Wollongong’s Gary Ervin.

2011/12
The Kings’ retained their core group of Julian Khazzouh (team captain), Ben Madgen, Luke Martin, Luke Cooper and Graeme Dann and looked to build on their disappointing return to the NBL. Head coach Ian Robilliard was able to bolster the roster by signing former Australian Boomers guard Aaron Bruce (via Adelaide), college grad Anatoly Bose (via Nicholls State) and, after a import roller-coaster the previous season, signed Jerai Grant (son and nephew of NBA stars Harvey Grant and Horace Grant respectively) and state league talent, Kevin Ratzsch.

Additionally, due to the 2011 NBA Lockout, Australia’s highest profile basketballer, former Milwaukee Bucks centre Andrew Bogut, was looking to play in the NBL during the 2011/12 season. He was linked with the Adelaide 36ers, the Gold Coast Blaze and the Kings, whom Bogut had supported when growing up in Australia. Sydney was favoured to secure his services, and Bogut ultimately chose to make his NBL debut with the Kings. However, the insurance to cover his remaining US$39 million contract with the Bucks couldn’t be resolved, leaving the Kings and the NBL without the services of Australia’s highest profile player. It was expected that Bogut’s signing would see a increase in Kings membership and league attendances. Despite not being able to play, Bogut later expressed interest in joining the Kings’ coaching staff during the lockout to help the club. This ultimately did not happen either.

Khazzouh was unstoppable during the first two months of the season was clearly the best player in the competition. This was no clearer than in the Kings 23 point win over the Adelaide 36ers in October 2011 when he filled the box score with 26 points, 13 rebounds, and 2 blocks in 36 minutes, a game which gained the attention of the NBA’s Golden State Warriors. In December 2011, halfway through the season, Khazzouh would leave the team to participate in the Warriors pre-season camp. Khazzouh was then waived on 18 December 2011 and returned to Sydney to finish out the season.

The Kings fared better in their second year back in the NBL, beginning the season by winning half their games each month for the first three months. This saw the Kings jostling between fifth and sixth position, vying for a playoff spot, and having equalled their win from last season by round 14.

It was around this time Aaron Bruce (13.9 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 4.4 assists) suffered a vertical fracture to his tibia which ended his season and created a huge void within the team’s backcourt. With Bruce going down, the team managed only three additional wins for the year, resulting in Robilliard being moved into a executive role and replaced by Tim Hudson as interim head coach until the Kings came to term with club legend Shane Heal who agreed to coach the team on a multi-year deal.

Sydney finished in seventh place (11-17).

Julian Khazzouh (16.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 2.1 blocks) would lead the team in scoring as well as finish the season as the NBL’s leader in rebounds and blocked shots before being named to the All-NBL First team. Jerai Grant (11.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 1.4 blocks) would have a inconsistent season, winning Player of the Week in some rounds and then disappearing totally in others and Anatoly Bose (15.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.5 assists) was impressive in his debut season, earning the Rookie of the Year award. Khazzouh would appear in 26 games and averaged 16.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game.

2015/16
After a number of seasons played abroad, Khazzouh returned to the Sydney Kings, re-signing with the club for the 2015/16 season.

Since re-entering the league in 2010, Sydney had never finished with a winning record, something they came narrowly close to last season, until a season-ending injury to star Josh Childress derailed things.

The Kings bounced back by loading up on talent to surround Childress and blossoming young stars like Jason Cadee, Tom Garlepp and reigning Rookie of the Year Angus Brandt. Veterans Steven Markovic, Rhys Carter, and Khazzouh were brought in, and NBA draftee Marcus Thornton was signed as the team’s second import.

Although Childress would miss the first four games of the season (1-3) with a foot injury, he returned to the court to face Adelaide (Oct 23) at home, only to break his right hand. Childress still managed to score 23 points and played out the Kings’ loss to the 36ers (91–80) before being ruled out for a further four to six games with a boxer’s fracture.

Childress returned in late November, but two games later, he suffered a fractured left hand back and was subsequently ruled out for three weeks. He was reactivated once again on December 29 and played out the rest of the season.

All in all, Childress (21.0 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.7 blocks) played in only 13 games for the Purple and Gold. Starting centre Khazzouh (13.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.0 steals, 1.8 blocks) delivered great numbers in his return before ripping his right quadriceps tendon off the bone in mid-December, missing a third of the season and Markovic (3.0 points, 1.1 rebounds, and 1.7 assists) played a grand total of 3 games for the season due to illness and subsequent recovery. With most of the team’s starting line-up missing, the Kings were so decimated at one stage that assistant coach Ben Knight suited up for four games.

In early January 2016, Craig Moller and Jordan Vandenberg were also brought in to help cover the loss of Khazzouh and backup forward Jeromie Hill (4.1 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 0.4 assists).

During the absence of Childress, the Kings brought in former NBA players Damion James (7.0 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 0.6 assists) for 5 games, Al Harrington (17.7 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 2.7 assists) for 6 games with James being a disappointment and Harrington becoming a fan favourite during their brief stints, but both failed to deliver team success and coach Damian Cotter was released mid-season.

Former Washington Wizards assistant Joe Connelly was brought in as a new head coach and helped youngsters Cadee (14.0 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 3.5 assists), Garlepp (14.0 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.1 assists) and Brandt (8.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks) continue to develop (Brandt earning a gig with the national team at year’s end), it wasn’t enough for the under-manned Kings to avoid finishing dead last (6-22) during the regular season.

2016/17
Khazzouh entered 2016 with full intentions to play with the Kings but shortly after the season began, it became clear that tje quadriceps injury from last season would keep Khazzouh off the court for the team’s entire 2016/17 campaign.

Sydney finished in seventh place (13-15) and missed the playoffs in disappointing fashion, and the decision was made by the Kings to move on from Khazzouh due uncertainty around his health.

Julian Khazzouh played seven seasons across three NBL teams. This included the West Sydney Razorbacks, Sydney Spirit and Sydney Kings. He averaged 13.4 points, 8 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 145 NBL games.

CAREER RANKINGS:
– 43rd in total blocks
– 45th in blocks per game.

Dan Boyce (817 Posts)

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.