Perth Wildcats sign former Boston Celtics assistant as the franchise’s head coach

The Perth Wildcats have signed Scott Morrison - a former Boston Celtics assistant and not the Australian Prime Minister - as their head coach.

The Perth Wildcats have signed Scott Morrison, a former Boston Celtics assistant, as their new coach. Picture: Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images

The Perth Wildcats have secured a former Boston Celtics assistant as the franchise’s head coach following Trevor Gleeson’s departure to the NBA.

Scott Morrison, who served under Brad Stevens at the Celtics for the last four NBA seasons, has signed a three-year contract with the Wildcats.

Morrison was also the head coach of the NBA G-League’s Maine Red Claws, where he was named Coach of the Year in 2015.

The Canadian-born mentor succeeds Gleeson who, after coaching the Wildcats for eight seasons and winning five championships, accepted an assistant coach role with the Toronto Raptors.

Morrison knows what success, and expectation, looks like having coached at a franchise like Boston that has won 17 NBA championships.

It’s why he isn’t daunted about the challenge of helping Perth maintain its standing as the NBL’s most successful side with 10 titles.

Scott Morrison says he is up to the task of leading Perth to title No. 11 . Picture: Randy Belice/NBAE via Getty Images

“There’s an expectation for this organisation to do well, and to live up to the past, but that’s not something I’m afraid of,” Morrison said.

“I’ve always been the kind of person and competitor that embraces the pressure. It just makes achieving your goals that much sweeter.

“I know that the Wildcats 10 championships is a record for the league, which makes it easy for us to determine what the next goal is, and that’s number 11.

“To be successful as a coach you need to be a part of a great team, and there’s a great staff and a great group of players already in place that I’m excited to get to know and learn from.

“Outside of the NBA, the Perth Wildcats head coach position was one of the best available in the world.

“I’m excited for the challenge, I’m excited to get back to being a head coach after a few years of being an assistant, and I’m very honoured to be joining Perth’s great history of winning.”

Morrison began his coaching career at the collegiate level in Canada, successfully serving as the head coach of the Lakehead University for 11 years.

During this time, he began his involvement with Canadian national programs, serving as an assistant coach for the national junior team from 2012 and the senior men’s national team from 2016.

Boston’s Semi Ojeleye watches film with assistant coach Scott Morrison in 2019. Picture: David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images

After spending a year volunteering with the Maine Red Claws, he took over the head coach position in 2014 and went on to become the franchise’s winningest coach.

A standout 2014/15 season led Morrison to coach the D-League Select team at the NBA Summer League.

Ahead of the 2017/18 NBA season, he was promoted to Celtics assistant coach.

Perth Wildcats general manager of basketball operations Danny Mills first met Morrison eight years ago when he was an unpaid intern for the Maine Red Claws in the G League.

“I have stayed in touch with Scott while watching his career trajectory take off, and to take the steps he has with a historic franchise like Boston has been very impressive,” Mills said.

“He brings a well-rounded mix of player development as well as offensive and defensive philosophy that resonates with the NBL given his FIBA background in Canada working with their national teams, both junior and senior.

“That stood out to us. He has the G League experience as a head coach, he’d already coached for over 10 years at the college level in Canada. he understands the global game and he’s had front bench assistant experience in the NBA with the Celtics.

“For us, that made him a standout candidate.”

Originally published as Perth Wildcats sign former Boston Celtics assistant as the franchise’s head coach