Brian Goorjian celebrated as Boomers coaching career ends

He took the Boomers to four Olympics and secured a historic first medal, so Brian Goorjian is being rightly praised as his coaching tenure ends.

Brian Goorjian has been hailed for the legacy he has left Australian basketball after the legendary mentor officially ended his time as coach of the Boomers in the wake of the Paris Olympics.

Goorjian, who has taken the reins at the Sydney Kings in the NBL, guided the Boomers to Olympic campaigns in Athens in 2004 and Beijing in 2008, a World Cup in 2006 and a gold Commonwealth Games medal in Melbourne in the same year in his first stint in charge of the national team.

He returned to the role in 2020, leading the Boomers to their historic, and emotional, first Olympic medal in Tokyo and then a fourth Games in Paris this year.

Goorjian, 71, earned plaudits from the biggest names in Australian basketball, including legend Andrew Gaze, who said Goorjian’s impact on the sport extended well beyond his role as national coach.

“Brian’s legacy extends to players that have represented Australia even when he wasn’t coaching the national team. His legacy includes the development of the game as a player, a coach and an advocate,” Gaze said.

Brian Goorjian has had a major impact on Australian basketball. Picture: William West / AFP

“It’s important to recognise his contribution to the Australian scene as a coach, but I think that is only part of the complete story of Brian Goorjian and the significant impact he’s had on the overall game and the contribution he’s made to the lives of many.”

NBA champion and Australian Hall of Fame member Luc Longley said Goorjian had “learned to speak the Australian basketball language” first as a player, then as a coach, in his adopted home as he moulded generations of talent.

“Now he’s the go-to-go guy who can communicate with a new generation of young Aussies playing in the NBA who have a different reality,” Longley said.

“Goorj finds a way to bridge all that and communicate with everybody.

Goorjian spoke the ‘Australian basketball language’. Picture: Adam Head

“Try finding someone in basketball that he doesn’t know, hasn’t helped or been around, hasn’t beaten in a playoff game, hasn’t lost to, hasn’t had a fight with in the hallway.

“He’s unapologetic. He’s an American who has embraced the Australian way, added to it, coloured it in and he’s remarkable for his versatility.”

The totality of Goorjian’s time in charge of the Boomers, across two tenures, included four Olympics, two World Cups and a home Commonwealth Games.

Basketball Australia is yet to confirm a replacement for Goorjian as Boomers coach.