Brian Goorjian - Reputation & Achievements

Reputation & Achievements

Having won over 400 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). 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 have finished no worse than the semi-finals every year since 1990. He has also coached teams to a record 12 grand finals and won 'Coach of the year' on 5 occasions.

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. He said he sat down for his first six games in 1988, which he lost, and has stood during games ever since.

He is known for a defensive style which brings success but also boredom to fans. It is perhaps an unfortunate conincidence but fact nonetheless that every team he has coached at national league level has folded.

• NBL Championships: (6) 1992, 1996, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2008–09

• Play-off appearances: (19 consecutive) 1990–present

• Grand Final Appearances: (13) 1991, 1992, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1998–99, 1999–00, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2007–08, 2008–09

• Coach Of The Year: (5) 1992, 1997, 1998, 2001–02, 2007–08, 2008–09

Other Milestones:

• Most NBL games coached