Brian Goorjian is a retired American-Australian player who is currently head coach of the Boomers. He is regarded as the most successful coach in Australian basketball history to have ever graced the game. Basketball Australia rates him as the best coach in NBL history. Goorjian’s NBL career as a coach has spanned over 20 years. He has Six NBL championships to his credit.

Early Life of Goorjian

He was born in 1953 in Glendale California, USA. Brian received initial coaching from his father Edward Goorjian. Edward was the head coach of Crescenta Valley High School California.

Playing Career of Brian Goorjian

Like his father, Brian also played for the Crescenta Valley High School in California. Love for the game was in the family’s blood. Brian’s younger brothers Kevin and Greg also played for the Crescenta Valley High School.

Brian played in the NBL in 1977. He was the first captain of the Melbourne Tigers in their inaugural session in 1984. He played under the mentorship of legendary Lindsay Gaze.

 Coaching Career Of Brian Goorjian

Brian has a long and illustrious coaching career. During his career, he has achieved so much that any coach would be proud of.

• East Spectres

Goorjian’s first assignment as a head coach was the Eastside Melbourne Spectres. In his first assignment, he announced himself on the big stage.

The Spectres lost the semi-finals in the first two seasons with Brian as a coach. In 1991, the team lost the final, unfortunately.

In 1992, the team announced a merger with the South Melbourne Saints renaming as the South East Melbourne Magic with Goorjian as the head coach.

• South East Melbourne Magic

His mentorship with the Melbourne Magic was a magical time of his career. He won the NBL championship in his very first season with the team in 1992.

After 1992, his team made it to three consecutive semi-finals in the season 1993, 1994, and 1995 respectively and a championship win again in 1996. The same year, he was named Lindsay Gaze coach of the year.

• Victoria Titans

The Maestro coached the Titans for 4 seasons. He took the team to the finals in the first season but unfortunately lost.

The Titans faced a financial crunch by the end of the 2001-02 season. Due to tight financial conditions, the team was sold to the North Melbourne Giants. Goorjian was stripped of his responsibilities by the new management.

• Sydney Kings

Goorjian replaced Brett Brown as head coach of the Sydney Kings in the season 2001-02. He had a blast with the Kings and led the team to three consecutive NBL championships in 2003, 2004, and 2005 respectively.

In his six years of coaching, the Kings made it to the Five Grand Finals. In the season 2007-08, Goorjian was given his fifth NBL Coach of the Year award.

• South Dragons

Goorjian took on a new assignment in 2008 by signing a three-year contract with the South Dragons.

He mentored the Dragons to the NBL title in his first season in 2008. He also won his sixth Coach of the Year award the same year. Afterwards, he ventured overseas to coach.

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 Brian Goorjian’s Coaching Career In China

• Dongguan Leopards

Brian Goorjian became head coach of the Chinese basketball club the Dongguan Leopards in 2009. He remained in the same position from 2009 to 2015.  After the 2014–2015 CBA Season ended, Goorjian left the Leopards.

•  Shanghai Sharks

In 2016, Goorjian took on a more daunting task by assuming the role of Special Advisor of the Shanghai Sharks to identify, and groom the new talent. He remained in the role till 2017.

• Xinjiang Flying Tigers

The year 2018 was a one-year stint with the Xinjiang Flying Tigers as assistant coach. Afterwards, he left for Australia to rejoin NBL.

Brian Goorjian Return To The NBL

Goorjian returned to Australia in June 2020. Upon his return, he signed as the head coach of the Illawarra Hawks. For two years he remained the head coach. In 2022 he assumed the role of Special advisor for basketball operations.

 Brian Goorjian as Head Coach of The Australian National Team

Australia’s performance was at its worst in the 2002 World Championship qualification. The team was unable to qualify for the 2002 World Championships.

The head coach of the team Phil Smyth resigned and Goorjian was appointed as the head coach of the Australian National Team.

Goorjian was the first foreign-born coach for the Boomers. Under Goorjian the team qualified for the 2004 Athens Olympics ultimately finishing ninth.

Boomers improved their rankings two places under Goorjian and finished 7^th in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He remained head coach of the national side until 2008.

Goorjian was again named head coach of the Boomers in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Boomers shined in the Olympics by winning the bronze medal which was the team’s first-ever medal in the Olympics.

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Goorjian’s Current Assignment With The Boomers

Australia disappointingly finished 10^th at the 2023 FIBA World Cup under Goorjian. But Goorjian is contracted to coach the team, backed by Australian basketball management, until the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.

Brian Goorjian’s Achievements As a Coach

• Brian Goorjian has a phenomenal record as a coach. His achievements soar high. As a coach, he has won 511 games in 700 games at a whopping 70 per cent.
• In 2023 he was named as the best coach of the first 25 years of NBL.
• From 1990 to 2009, the teams that he coached were never short of reaching the semi-finals.
• He was named Coach of The Year on Six occasions.
• Goorjan is the winner of Six NBL championships as a coach.
• He was inducted into the coaching category of the Basketball Australian Hall of Fame in 2013.

He is known for his aggressive coaching style. It is said that was instructing the team from the bench in his first six games in 1988 which he lost. He has remained standing in the games since then.

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Brian Goorjian’s As a Speaker

Besides coaching, Brian Goorjian is a motivational speaker. He speaks on different topics that include leadership, goal setting and motivation, being the best you can be etc.

Personal Life of Brian Goorjian

Brian Goorjian is married to Amanda Gilbert and has a daughter. The couple has a grandson named Edward named after Goorjian’s father Edward Goorjian.

Brian Goorjian is a decorated and highly respectable coach in the world in general and Australia in particular. He has achieved phenomenal success in NBL and CBA (Chinese Basketball Association) leaving a lasting legacy.