Brian Goorjian

Brian Goorjian

Goorjian as head coach of the Sydney Kings in 2005
Sydney Kings
Position	Head coach
League	NBL
Personal information
Born	(1953-07-28) 28 July 1953 (age 71) Glendale, California
Nationality	American / Australian
Listed height	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Career information
High school	Crescenta Valley (La Crescenta, California)
College	Pepperdine (1973–1976)
NBA draft	1976: undrafted
Playing career	1977–1985
Position	Guard
Coaching career	1986–present
Career history
As player:
1977–1985	Melbourne Tigers
As coach:
1986–1987	Ballarat Miners
1988–1991	Eastside Spectres
1992–1998	South East Melbourne Magic
1998–2002	Victoria Titans
2002–2008	Sydney Kings
2008–2009	South Dragons
2009–2015	Dongguan Leopards
2015–2016	Guangdong Southern Tigers (assistant)
2018–2019	Xinjiang Flying Tigers (assistant)
2020–2022	Illawarra Hawks
2022–2023	Bay Area Dragons
2024–present	Sydney Kings
Career highlights and awards
As coach: 6× NBL champion (1992, 1996, 2003–2005, 2009) 6× NBL Coach of the Year (1992, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2008, 2009)

Brian Warwick Goorjian (born 28 July 1953) is an American-Australian professional basketball coach and former player who is the head coach of the Sydney Kings of the National Basketball League (NBL). He is also coach of the Australia men's national basketball team. He is the most successful coach in Australian basketball and his career has been called the most successful in NBL history by Basketball Australia. ^[1] In an NBL coaching career spanning over 20 years, Goorjian has won six championships: two with the South East Melbourne Magic, three with the Sydney Kings and one with the South Dragons. He previously served as the head coach of the Australia men's team from 2001 to 2008 before returning as coach in 2020.

In 2009, Goorjian became the head coach of the Dongguan Leopards of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) and stayed with the team for six seasons. He served as an assistant coach for the Guangdong Southern Tigers from 2015 to 2016 and as a special advisor to the Shanghai Sharks from 2016 to 2018. Goorjian returned to coaching duties when he joined the Xinjiang Flying Tigers in 2018 as an assistant coach for one season. After spending a decade in the CBA, he returned to the NBL in 2020 as the head coach of the Illawarra Hawks. In 2024, he returned to the Kings as head coach, returning to the team he last coached in 2008.

Early career

Goorjian was born in Glendale, California, and is of Armenian descent. ^[2] He played on the basketball team at Crescenta Valley High School in La Crescenta, California, and was coached by his father, Ed. ^[2] Goorjian's younger brothers, Kevin and Greg, also played basketball at Crescenta Valley. ^[2] He played college basketball for the Pepperdine Waves. ^[2]

Goorjian first arrived in Australia in 1977 to play for the Melbourne Tigers under head coach Lindsay Gaze. ^[3] He served as the inaugural captain of the Tigers in their first National Basketball League (NBL) season in 1984. ^[4]

Coaching career

Ballarat Miners (1986–1987)

Goorjian served as the inaugural head coach of the Ballarat Miners in the South East Australian Basketball League (SEABL) in 1986. ^[5] He went on to guide the Miners to the SEABL South Conference championship in 1987. ^[6]

Eastside Spectres (1988–1991)

Goorjian's first NBL head coaching job came in 1988 when he coached the Eastside Spectres. The team missed the finals in Goorjian's first two seasons. ^[7] In 1990, the Spectres bowed out in the semi-finals and the next year they went one better by making the Grand Final for only the second time in the club's history. They lost this final to the defending champion Perth Wildcats. The Spectres merged with the Southern Melbourne Saints during the 1992 offseason to form the South East Melbourne Magic with Goorjian named as the new Magic coach.^{[ citation needed ]}

South East Melbourne Magic (1992–1998)

Goorjian won the first of his six championships in 1992 against the Melbourne Tigers and was named the Lindsay Gaze Coach of the Year. Three consecutive semi-final losses were followed by a second championship and another Coach of the Year award in 1996 when they again defeated the Tigers. Two Grand Final losses were to follow to the Tigers in 1997 and the Adelaide 36ers in 1998.^{[ citation needed ]}

Following the loss to the 36ers, Goorjian had another change of team by merger when the Magic merged with cross-town rivals the North Melbourne Giants to form the Victoria Titans.^{[ citation needed ]}

Victoria Titans (1998–2002)

Goorjian lost another two Grand Finals in his first two seasons as coach for the Titans. The Titans lost 2–1 to defending champions Adelaide in 1998–99 before being swept 2–0 by the Perth Wildcats in 1999–2000. At the end of the 2001–02 season, the financially struggling Victoria Titans went into administration and were sold to new owners associated with the former North Melbourne Giants, who controversially fired Goorjian.^{[ citation needed ]}

Sydney Kings (2002–2008)

The Sydney Kings hired Goorjian after the 2001–02 season to replace Brett Brown. Goorjian led the Kings to three consecutive NBL championships from 2003 to 2005. Goorjian coached Sydney to five Grand Final series in six years, despite being forced to constantly re-build the team after each season. He won his fifth NBL Coach of the Year award as the Kings went 27–3 during the 2007–08 regular season. ^[8] However, they were unable to turn this success into a fourth championship, going down narrowly to the Melbourne Tigers.

South Dragons (2008–2009)

On April 1, 2008, Goorjian signed a three-year contract with new Melbourne club South Dragons. ^[9] Goorjian led the Dragons to the 2008–09 NBL title in his first season with them. He won his sixth Coach of the Year award with the Dragons in 2009. The Dragons folded at the end of the season despite their title win, prompting Goorjian to seek a position overseas.^{[ citation needed ]}

Dongguan Leopards (2009–2015)

Brian Goorjian was the head coach of the Dongguan Leopards. After the 2014–2015 CBA Season ended, Goorjian left the Leopards.^{[ citation needed ]}

Guangdong Tigers (2015–2016)

Goorjian stepped away from head coaching duties, and became associate coach of the Guangdong Southern Tigers in early 2015, responsible for player development, talent identification, scouting and game analysis.^{[ citation needed ]}

Shanghai Sharks (2016–2018)

After the CBA season has finished, Goorjian became Special Advisor of the Shanghai Sharks in early 2016, responsible for player development, talent identification, scouting and game analysis. Following the 2017–2018 season he left the club.^{[ citation needed ]}

Xinjiang Flying Tigers (2018–2019)

After leaving the Sharks, Goorijan moved to the Xinjiang Flying Tigers in 2018 as an assistant coach, and remained there for one season.^{[ citation needed ]}

Illawarra Hawks (2020–2022)

On 23 June 2020, returned to Australia and signed with Illawarra Hawks of the NBL as their new head coach. ^[10] He elected to not take up his third-year option with the Hawks in May 2022, instead moving to the role of special advisor for basketball operations. ^[11]

Return to Sydney (2024–present)

On 6 March 2024, Goorijan signed a three-year deal to return as head coach of the Sydney Kings. ^[12] He coached his 850th NBL game in January 2025. ^[13]

National team career

After Phil Smyth's less than one-year term as the Australian Boomers coach in 2001 which resulted in the team's 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.^{[ citation needed ]}

In November 2020, Goorjian returned as head coach for the Australian men's national basketball team for the 2020 Summer Olympics where the team won the bronze medal and Australia's first ever medal in Olympic men's basketball. ^[14]

Coaching profile

Having won 511 games at a winning percentage of 70% Goorjian's record exceeds that of Australian coaching legends in the other major professional leagues including Kevin Sheedy (AFL – 365), Allan Jeans (AFL – 358), Tom Hafey (AFL – 336), David Parkin (AFL – 306), Wayne Bennett (NRL – 294 wins) and Tim Sheens (NRL – 235). ^[15] In 2003 the NBL Hall of Fame selection committee voted Brian Goorjian the best coach of the first 25 years of the National Basketball League. In one of the notable statistics in sport, Goorjian-coached teams finished no worse than the semi-finals every year from 1990 to 2009. He has also coached teams to a record 12 grand finals and won 'Coach of the Year' on six occasions.^{[ citation needed ]}

Goorjian is also known for his intense coaching style (contrasting the laid back style of his early mentor Lindsay Gaze). His former assistant coach Bill Tomlinson says the detail he paid to defence was notable, as was the emphasis on strength and conditioning which often made Goorjian coached teams the fittest in the league. ^[16] He said he sat down for his first six games in 1988, which he lost, and has stood during games ever since. ^[17]

On October 10, 2013, Goorjian was named the coach of the Sydney Kings 25th Anniversary Team. ^[18]

Coaching record

NBL

Legend

Regular season	G	Games coached	W	Games won	L	Games lost	W–L %	Win–loss %
Playoffs	PG	Playoff games	PW	Playoff wins	PL	Playoff losses	PW–L %	Playoff win–loss %

Team	Year	G	W	L	W–L%	Finish	PG	PW	PL	PW–L%	Result
Eastside Spectres	1988	24	11	13	.458	8th	—	—	—	—	Missed playoffs
Eastside Spectres	1989	24	14	10	.583	7th	—	—	—	—	Missed playoffs
Eastside Spectres	1990	26	18	8	.692	2nd	2	0	2	.000	Semi-finalists
Eastside Spectres	1991	26	17	9	.654	2nd	5	3	2	.600	Grand Finalists
South East Melbourne Magic	1992	24	20	4	.833	1st	7	6	1	.857	Champions
South East Melbourne Magic	1993	26	20	6	.769	2nd	4	2	2	.500	Semi-finalists
South East Melbourne Magic	1994	26	19	7	.731	3rd	3	1	2	.333	Semi-finalists
South East Melbourne Magic	1995	26	18	8	.692	3rd	6	3	3	.500	Semi-finalists
South East Melbourne Magic	1996	26	19	7	.731	1st	7	6	1	.857	Champions
South East Melbourne Magic	1997	30	22	8	.733	1st	5	3	2	.600	Grand Finalists
South East Melbourne Magic	1998	30	26	4	.867	1st	4	2	2	.500	Grand Finalists
Victoria Titans	1998–99	26	17	9	.654	2nd	7	4	3	.571	Grand Finalists
Victoria Titans	1999–2000	28	20	8	.714	4th	8	4	4	.500	Grand Finalists
Victoria Titans	2000–01	28	21	7	.750	4th	6	3	3	.500	Semi-finalists
Victoria Titans	2001–02	30	20	10	.667	1st	6	3	3	.500	Semi-finalists
Sydney Kings	2002–03	30	22	8	.733	1st	8	6	2	.750	Champions
Sydney Kings	2003–04	35	27	8	.771	1st	5	4	1	.667	Champions
Sydney Kings	2004–05	29	20	9	.690	1st	8	6	2	.750	Champions
Sydney Kings	2005–06	32	25	7	.781	2nd	5	3	2	.600	Grand Finalists
Sydney Kings	2006–07	33	20	13	.606	4th	3	1	2	.333	Semi-finalists
Sydney Kings	2007–08	30	27	3	.900	1st	8	4	4	.500	Grand Finalists
South Dragons	2008–09	30	22	8	.733	1st	8	5	3	.625	Champions
Illawarra Hawks	2020–21	36	20	16	.556	3rd	3	1	2	.333	Semi-finalists
Illawarra Hawks	2021–22	28	18	9	.667	2nd	2	0	2	.000	Semi-finalists
Career		683	484	199	.709		120	70	50	.583

Personal life

Goorjian is an Australian citizen. ^[2] He has a daughter with his wife, Amanda. ^[2]

References

1. "Brian Goorjian". Basketball Australia. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
2. "Spreading the Goorjian seed". Glendale News-Press. August 29, 2002. Retrieved July 31, 2021.
3. Brian Goorjian Archived 2009-09-30 at the Wayback Machine celebrityspeakers.com
4. Nagy, Boti. "A rivalry renewed? Hmm, not really". Boti Nagy. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
5. "Ballarat the stepping stone for Goorjian". www.thecourier.com.au. 8 August 2021. Retrieved 5 December 2024.
6. "FROM THE VAULT: SEABL REMEMBERS THE BALLARAT MINERS DYNASTY". Australiabasket.com. Archived from the original on 6 June 2017. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
7. Why Goorjian is king of the court The Age, March 19, 2005
8. Goorj named NBL's best Archived March 28, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
9. Goorj completes Dragons move foxsports.com.au April 1, 2008
10. "Hawks sign master coach Brian Goorjian after tumultuous start to year". www.abc.net.au. 23 June 2020.
11. "Jackomas takes over Hawks reigns from mentor Goorjian". nbl.com.au. 4 May 2022. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
12. "Kings appoint club legend Brian Goorjian as head coach". SydneyKings.com.au. 6 March 2024. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
13. "Goorjian chalks up 850 combined NBL games". Sydney Kings | Official NBL Website. 8 January 2025. Retrieved 9 January 2025.
14. "Brian Goorjian appointed Australian Boomers head coach". Basketball Australia. 13 November 2020. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
15. "BRIAN GOORJIAN Australia's most successful ever Coach". Archived from the original on 2007-08-15. Retrieved 2013-10-01.
16. That winning feeling for long time coach Brian Goorjian
17. The Life of Brian Goorjian Archived March 29, 2008, at the Wayback Machine The Canberra Times, September 2006
18. MightyMite Sydney Kings announce 25th Anniversary Team Archived 2013-10-13 at the Wayback Machine

External links

• Brian Goorjian – college basketball player statistics at Sports Reference
• Video interview with Brian Goorjian @ fiba.com