CJ Bruton
February 2, 2021
Luke Martin
- Nationality: AUS
- Date of Birth: 22/01/81
- Place of Birth: Sydney (NSW)
- Position: PG
- Height (CM): 181
- Weight (KG): 77
- Junior Assoc: NSW - Gloucester
- College: UTEP (2001–2002)
- NBL DEBUT: 11/10/02
- AGE AT DEBUT: 21
- LAST NBL GAME: 1/03/15
- AGE AT LAST GAME: 34
- NBL History: West Sydney 2003 | Sydney 2004-06, 2009, 2011-13 | Cairns 2007 | South 2008 | Wollongong 2010 | Perth 2015
- Championships: 2
- Sydney (2004-05)
BIO: Luke Martin was and raised in Sydney to a Kiwi father and a Australian mother. He began playing basketball as a junior with the Gloucester basketball program. Martin moved to the United States in 1998, where he attended St. John’s College High School in Washington, D.C. before playing one season of college basketball for the UTEP Miners in 2001/02.
NBL EXPERIENCE
Luke Martin made his NBL debut with the West Sydney Razorbacks at 21 years of age. He scored one point in his first NBL game.
2004/05
The 2004/05 season was a historic one for the Sydney Kings, as they became the first team in NBL history to win three consecutive championships.
Captain Jason Smith (19.2 points, 6.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.8 steals) led the team offensively, setting the tone with his leadership, defensive intensity, and ability to step up in clutch moments.
He was supported by a strong core, including import duo Mark Sanford (16.7 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 1.4 assists), Rolan Roberts (16.4 points, 9.1 rebounds), C.J. Bruton (16.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 5.7 assists), and Ben Knight (13.4 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 3.2 assists).
Luke Martin played a key role as a backup guard for the Kings, averaging 9.4 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game.
His ability to run the offense and provide energy off the bench made him an important contributor throughout the season.
Martin delivered several standout performances over the course of the season, demonstrating his ability to step up when called upon.
On November 6 against New Zealand, he scored a season-high 20 points on an efficient 8-for-9 shooting, including four three-pointers.
On January 7 against Townsville, he recorded another strong performance with 21 points, 6 assists, and 3 rebounds.
His well-rounded play was also evident on November 21 against West Sydney, where he posted 21 points while shooting 60% from the field.
Twelve games into the season, rookie Luke Kendall (12.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 5.3 assists) suffered an ACL injury, causing him to miss the remainder of the season.
Under head coach Brian Goorjian, the Kings continued their dominance, finishing atop the regular season standings with a 21-11 record.
The Kings opened the playoffs by defeating the Brisbane Bullets in Game 1 (113-79), with seven players scoring in double figures.
Jason Smith (16 points), Rolan Roberts (16 points), Brad Sheridan (16 points), Ben Knight (15 points), CJ Bruton (14 points), David Barlow (12 points), and Mark Sanford (12 points) all contributed to the commanding win.
Sydney closed out the series with a 111-105 victory in Game 2, led by big performances from Smith (24 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists) and Ben Knight (22 points, 14 rebounds, and 4 assists).
Martin played a crucial role in the win, adding 8 points, 4 assists, and 2 rebounds.
The Grand Final series saw Sydney dominate the Illawarra Hawks across three straight games, completing one of the most commanding championship runs in NBL history.
Smith (21 points, 3 rebounds, and 7 assists) led the way in the Kings’ Game 1 victory (96-73).
Martin provided steady minutes off the bench, adding 3 points, 5 assists, and 4 rebounds.
In Game 2, Sydney secured a 105-80 win on the Hawks’ home court, with CJ Bruton finishing as the game-high scorer with 26 points.
Martin contributed 9 points and 3 assists, helping maintain the Kings’ offensive flow.
Although Game 3 was close after the first quarter, the Kings outscored the Hawks 38-21 in the second quarter and never looked back.
Jason Smith delivered the best playoff game of his career, scoring 38 points and grabbing 12 rebounds to take home Grand Final MVP honors.
Martin played a key supporting role, adding 10 points, 5 assists, and 4 rebounds, solidifying his impact on the Kings’ championship success.
With their 3-0 Grand Final series win, the Kings cemented themselves as one of the greatest teams in NBL history, becoming the first team to ever complete a three-peat.
Their combination of leadership, talent, and depth made them an unstoppable force, with Jason Smith, C.J. Bruton, Mark Sanford, and the supporting cast all playing vital roles in Sydney’s championship run.
Martin’s steady presence at the point guard position proved crucial to the Kings’ depth and success, showcasing his ability to perform in big moments.
WOLLONGONG HAWKS
2009/10
During his time with the Hawks Martin helped the team reach the Grand Final after they finished in second place (16-12) during the 2009/10 season. In the Hawks semi-final matchup with the third placed Townsville Crocodiles. Martin contributed 10 points to help the Hawks win the opening game 87-68. In game two, the Crocodiles returned the favour, defeating the Hawks 82-53 on their home court with Martin contributing 8 points. The series returned to Wollongong for game three where the Hawks led the game from start to finish, winning 88-76 with Martin adding 4 points.
The 2010 NBL Grand Final would then see the Hawks face the Perth Wildcats who claimed game one in Perth, 75–64, with Martin contributing 11 points. The series then headed to Wollongong for game two, where the Hawks returned the favour and defeated Perth 75–63, behind a huge offensive game from Cam Tragardh (28 points) and Martin again contributing 11 points. The deciding game three would return to Western Australia where Perth comfortably defeated Wollongong 96-72, with Kevin Lisch exploding for 29 points (5 from 9 three point shots) in front of their home fans. Martin struggled in the final game, scoring four points on 1/6 shooting in the final game and Kevin Lisch was named Finals MVP after averaging 18 points and 4 rebounds over the three games.
PERTH WILDCATS
2014/15
Perth entered the 2014/15 season as defending NBL champions under coach Trevor Gleeson, retaining Damian Martin and Jermaine Beal in the backcourt while adding DeAndre Daniels and Earnest Ross. The Wildcats’ season became increasingly disrupted by injuries, with Greg Hire suffering a torn calf and Matthew Knight missing six games with a broken toe.
On January 9, Ross suffered a season-ending Achilles injury against Cairns, prompting Perth to sign experienced guard Luke Martin (via the state league) as his injury replacement on January 16. Martin had previously played for Sydney and Wollongong, winning consecutive NBL championships with the Kings in 2004 and 2005.
Martin (0.7 points across 9 games) provided emergency backcourt depth during the second half of the season. He scored six points, all from beyond the three-point line, and played limited minutes behind Beal, Damian Martin and Drake U’u. His restricted appearances reflected his role as an injury replacement rather than a confirmed injury of his own.
Perth finished fourth with a 16-12 record and qualified for its 29th consecutive postseason. However, the Wildcats were eliminated by Cairns in straight sets, losing 71-64 in game one and 80-68 in game two. Luke Martin was released on March 7 following the semifinal defeat.
Luke Martin played twelve seasons across seven NBL teams. This included the West Sydney Razorbacks, South Dragons, Sydney Spirit, Wollongong Hawks, Sydney Kings, Cairns Taipans and Perth Wildcats. He averaged 5.5 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in 289 NBL games.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-15 | 34 | Perth | 16-12 (4) | 9 | 67 | 25 | 11 | 6 | 2 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 10 | 22 | 45% | 4 | 11 | 36% | 1 | 5 | 20% | 51% | 55% | |
| 2012-13 | 32 | Sydney | 12-16 (4) | 25 | 196 | 21 | 15 | 20 | 2 | 13 | 10 | 0 | 14 | 26 | 6 | 41 | 15% | 2 | 24 | 8% | 7 | 12 | 58% | 22% | 17% | 5 |
| 2011-12 | 31 | Sydney | 11-17 (7) | 28 | 489 | 152 | 40 | 70 | 2 | 38 | 11 | 3 | 52 | 63 | 58 | 134 | 43% | 20 | 68 | 29% | 16 | 24 | 67% | 52% | 51% | 18 |
| 2010-11 | 30 | Sydney | 8-20 (9) | 23 | 542 | 162 | 58 | 62 | 9 | 49 | 15 | 3 | 38 | 49 | 66 | 159 | 42% | 28 | 75 | 37% | 2 | 6 | 33% | 50% | 50% | 18 |
| 2009-10 | 29 | Wollongong | 16-12 (2) | 15 | 279 | 119 | 28 | 34 | 2 | 26 | 10 | 1 | 36 | 23 | 39 | 84 | 46% | 19 | 41 | 46% | 22 | 31 | 71% | 60% | 58% | 14 |
| 2008-09 | 28 | Sydney | 11-19 (8) | 21 | 353 | 110 | 35 | 64 | 7 | 28 | 13 | 0 | 31 | 29 | 36 | 109 | 33% | 13 | 49 | 27% | 25 | 34 | 74% | 44% | 39% | 13 |
| 2007-08 | 27 | South | 5-25 (13) | 28 | 484 | 120 | 45 | 72 | 8 | 37 | 15 | 2 | 57 | 47 | 44 | 110 | 40% | 12 | 44 | 27% | 20 | 33 | 61% | 48% | 45% | 16 |
| 2006-07 | 26 | Cairns | 17-16 (6) | 36 | 680 | 204 | 63 | 106 | 9 | 54 | 13 | 2 | 73 | 77 | 68 | 177 | 38% | 23 | 73 | 32% | 45 | 59 | 76% | 50% | 45% | 18 |
| 2005-06 | 25 | Sydney | 26-6 (1) | 8 | 95 | 38 | 11 | 11 | 3 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 12 | 12 | 25 | 48% | 6 | 11 | 55% | 8 | 10 | 80% | 64% | 60% | 13 |
| 2004-05 | 24 | Sydney | 21-11 (1) | 37 | 840 | 349 | 85 | 137 | 18 | 67 | 29 | 5 | 90 | 97 | 115 | 288 | 40% | 43 | 122 | 35% | 76 | 115 | 66% | 51% | 47% | 21 |
| 2003-04 | 23 | Sydney | 26-7 (1) | 38 | 557 | 201 | 57 | 73 | 9 | 48 | 17 | 0 | 57 | 58 | 78 | 189 | 41% | 23 | 62 | 37% | 22 | 35 | 63% | 49% | 47% | 16 |
| 2002-03 | 22 | West Sydney | 14-16 (7) | 21 | 178 | 75 | 24 | 22 | 7 | 17 | 4 | 1 | 22 | 13 | 26 | 50 | 52% | 4 | 9 | 44% | 19 | 26 | 73% | 60% | 56% | 13 | Totals | 289 | 4760 | 1576 | 472 | 677 | 78 | 394 | 145 | 19 | 487 | 497 | 558 | 1388 | 40.2% | 197 | 589 | 33.4% | 263 | 390 | 67.4% | 51% | 47% | 21 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-15 | 34 | Perth | 16-12 (4) | 9 | 7.4 | 2.8 | 1.2 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 1.1 | 2.4 | 45% | 0.4 | 1.2 | 36% | 0.1 | 0.6 | 20% | 51% | 55% | |
| 2012-13 | 32 | Sydney | 12-16 (4) | 25 | 7.8 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 1.6 | 15% | 0.1 | 1.0 | 8% | 0.3 | 0.5 | 58% | 22% | 17% | 5 |
| 2011-12 | 31 | Sydney | 11-17 (7) | 28 | 17.5 | 5.4 | 1.4 | 2.5 | 0.1 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 1.9 | 2.3 | 2.1 | 4.8 | 43% | 0.7 | 2.4 | 29% | 0.6 | 0.9 | 67% | 52% | 51% | 18 |
| 2010-11 | 30 | Sydney | 8-20 (9) | 23 | 23.6 | 7.0 | 2.5 | 2.7 | 0.4 | 2.1 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 1.7 | 2.1 | 2.9 | 6.9 | 42% | 1.2 | 3.3 | 37% | 0.1 | 0.3 | 33% | 50% | 50% | 18 |
| 2009-10 | 29 | Wollongong | 16-12 (2) | 15 | 18.6 | 7.9 | 1.9 | 2.3 | 0.1 | 1.7 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 2.4 | 1.5 | 2.6 | 5.6 | 46% | 1.3 | 2.7 | 46% | 1.5 | 2.1 | 71% | 60% | 58% | 14 |
| 2008-09 | 28 | Sydney | 11-19 (8) | 21 | 16.8 | 5.2 | 1.7 | 3.0 | 0.3 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 1.5 | 1.4 | 1.7 | 5.2 | 33% | 0.6 | 2.3 | 27% | 1.2 | 1.6 | 74% | 44% | 39% | 13 |
| 2007-08 | 27 | South | 5-25 (13) | 28 | 17.3 | 4.3 | 1.6 | 2.6 | 0.3 | 1.3 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 2.0 | 1.7 | 1.6 | 3.9 | 40% | 0.4 | 1.6 | 27% | 0.7 | 1.2 | 61% | 48% | 45% | 16 |
| 2006-07 | 26 | Cairns | 17-16 (6) | 36 | 18.9 | 5.7 | 1.8 | 2.9 | 0.3 | 1.5 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 2.0 | 2.1 | 1.9 | 4.9 | 38% | 0.6 | 2.0 | 32% | 1.3 | 1.6 | 76% | 50% | 45% | 18 |
| 2005-06 | 25 | Sydney | 26-6 (1) | 8 | 11.9 | 4.8 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 1.1 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 3.1 | 48% | 0.8 | 1.4 | 55% | 1.0 | 1.3 | 80% | 64% | 60% | 13 |
| 2004-05 | 24 | Sydney | 21-11 (1) | 37 | 22.7 | 9.4 | 2.3 | 3.7 | 0.5 | 1.8 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 2.4 | 2.6 | 3.1 | 7.8 | 40% | 1.2 | 3.3 | 35% | 2.1 | 3.1 | 66% | 51% | 47% | 21 |
| 2003-04 | 23 | Sydney | 26-7 (1) | 38 | 14.7 | 5.3 | 1.5 | 1.9 | 0.2 | 1.3 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 2.1 | 5.0 | 41% | 0.6 | 1.6 | 37% | 0.6 | 0.9 | 63% | 49% | 47% | 16 |
| 2002-03 | 22 | West Sydney | 14-16 (7) | 21 | 8.5 | 3.6 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 1.2 | 2.4 | 52% | 0.2 | 0.4 | 44% | 0.9 | 1.2 | 73% | 60% | 56% | 13 | Total | 289 | 16.5 | 5.5 | 1.6 | 2.3 | 0.3 | 1.4 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.9 | 4.8 | 40.2% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 33.4% | 0.7 | 2.0 | 67.4% | 51% | 47% | 21 |
CAREER HIGHS
| POINTS | REBOUNDS | ASSISTS | STEALS | BLOCKS | TURNOVERS | TRIPLE DOUBLES | 21 | 7 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 0 |
|---|
STATE LEAGUE EXPERIENCE
- Illawarra (2002), Parramatta (2003, 2009), Brisbane (2015), Sydney (2018)
Martin joined Illawarra for the 2002 Waratah League season, playing in the NSW state league pathway before later state league stops in Parramatta and Sydney.
Martin joined Parramatta for the 2003 Waratah League season, with the Wildcats forming part of his early NSW state league timeline before his later return to the club.
Parramatta added Martin again for the 2009 Waratah League season, and he helped the Wildcats win the Waratah League championship while earning Grand Final MVP honours in the win over Manly.
Martin joined Brisbane for the 2015 SEABL season, playing 10 games for the Spartans and averaging 8.4 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game before his season ended early.
Martin was with Sydney in 2018, keeping the Comets as the final provided NSW state league stop in his Australian state league timeline.
FIBA EXPERIENCE
Martin was a part of the Australian Boomers squad in 2005. He played for Australia in the 2005 Boris Stankovic Cup.
INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE
- New Zealand - Manawatu Jets (2004), Southland Sharks (2010, 2013–2014), Auckland Pirates (2011)
Martin joined the Manawatu Jets for the 2004 New Zealand NBL season, playing his first season in New Zealand, and he was named the league’s Rookie of the Year that year with the Jets.
Martin later returned to the New Zealand NBL with the Southland Sharks for the 2010 season after the franchise was confirmed for its inaugural campaign, before moving to the Auckland Pirates for the 2011 New Zealand NBL season.
In 2013, Martin returned to the Southland Sharks for the New Zealand NBL season and averaged 7.1 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 4.4 assists across 18 games while playing alongside imports Brian Conklin, Leon Henry, and Kevin Braswell, and that Sharks team won the 2013 New Zealand NBL championship after finishing fourth in the regular season and then defeating the Nelson Giants in the decider.
In 2014, Martin played a second season for the Southland Sharks and averaged 11.9 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.9 assists across 18 games, continuing his backcourt role for Southland during the club’s follow-up title defence.
COLLEGE
Martin played college basketball at UTEP during the 2001-02 season, suiting up as a freshman guard for head coach Jason Rabedeaux as the Miners finished 10-22 overall and 3-15 in the Western Athletic Conference (10th).
In 23 games for the Miners, he averaged 2.9 points and 1.6 assists per game, and Sports-Reference lists him with 6 starts while playing 353 total minutes (15.3 minutes per game).
Across that 2001-02 season, Martin totaled 66 points, 21 rebounds, 37 assists, 14 steals and 1 block, while committing 32 turnovers and 37 fouls, and he shot 20-for-56 from the field (35.7%), 4-for-20 on three-pointers (20.0%), and 22-for-27 at the line (81.5%), with a 16-for-36 mark on two-point attempts (44.4%).
One of his notable box-score outings came against Ole Miss, when he scored 7 points in 17 minutes on 3-for-5 shooting with a made three (1-for-1) while adding 2 assists and 1 steal.
UTEP’s 2001-02 season also included an 85-81 overtime win over New Mexico State on February 20, 2002, a result later referenced by UTEP as the last overtime game between the programs until their next OT meeting decades later.
Related
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