Brian Goorjian to use NBA coaching stint with the New York Knicks in a bid to finalise the Kings’ NBL26 roster
Brian Goorjian has landed a gig with the iconic New York Knicks - the move could prove pivotal to the Sydney Kings ahead of next season.
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Sydney Kings coach Brian Goorjian will use an NBA Summer League coaching stint with the New York Knicks to finalise the Kings’ roster for NBL26.
CODE Sports can reveal Goorjian has agreed to join the Knicks as an assistant coach for a five-day camp leading up to the Summer League.
He will also be on the team’s bench during the annual pre-season tournament in Las Vegas from July 10 to 20. What that bench looks like remains to be seen, with the Knicks announcng the sacking of coach Tom Thibodeau on Wednesday morning.
Joining forces with New York – a franchise coming off its first Eastern Conference Finals appearance in 20 years – will give Goorjian a front-row seat to the club’s talent pool as he attempts to lock in Sydney’s final roster spot.
The Kings are keen to sign a back-up big man to add more size to the team’s front-court alongside Xavier Cooks and Keli Leaupepe.
Sydney CEO Chris Pongrass has already publicly stated the club’s desire to lure a “six-foot-eleven guy with length and size”.
The Kings had the fourth-best average rebound numbers in the competition last season, but were seventh in rebounding differential, a crucial part that cost them in their biggest games.
Goorjian is desperate to improve this statistic in NBL26 via the help of an experienced big man who can impact the game at both ends of the floor.
The legendary mentor’s NBA Summer League stint with the Knicks is the perfect chance to survey the best emerging talent in world basketball.
The Summer League has proven to be a successful pathway for NBL players to attract interest in recent seasons.
Former Melbourne United centre Ariel Hukporti signed a two-year contract with New York following an impressive Summer League stint for the club.
Hukporti, who was selected by the Knicks with the 54th pick in the 2024 NBA draft, averaged 8.4 points and 7.2 rebounds in five games for the Knicks at last year’s pre-season tournament.
Another ex-United star in Jack White signed a two-way deal with the Denver Nuggets in 2022 after a standout Summer League stint with the club.
White went on to play 17 NBA games for the Nuggets during the franchise’s run to the 2022/23 championship.
A cast of NBL players are again expected to feature in this year’s NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.
While no players are officially locked into stints, the likes of Davo Hickey, Tyrell Harrison and Hyunjung Lee have all indicated a desire to play in the pre-season event.
In other news, Pongrass has decided to step down from his role as CEO following seven successful seasons.
Pongrass played a vital role in the club’s consecutive championships in NBL22 and NBL23 as the team’s leading recruiter.
He will continue in his current role with Sydney for the next six months – assisting the club’s ownership to find a suitable replacement.
It’s understood Pongrass doesn’t have a new job as yet, but he should have no shortage of interest given his NBL success and previous NBA experience as the director of basketball operations at the Memphis Grizzlies.
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Originally published as Brian Goorjian to use NBA coaching stint with the New York Knicks in a bid to finalise the Kings’ NBL26 roster
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