Luc Longley

HTML <h2><strong>No</strong><strong>70 LUC LONGLEY</strong></h2>

HTML <h2><strong>7 feet 2</strong><strong> inch (220cm) Forward/Centre</strong></h2>

HTML <h2><strong>1988, 1992, 2000 Olympic Games</strong></h2>

HTML <p>“I can remember the feeling around Australian basketball in 1989 when Kareem Abdul Jabaarcame out with his travelling Daedals. As a community we really didn’t know what to expect other than that for our meagre basketball offerings we were going to get our backsides kicked by the gods of basketball. The NBA had not graced our shores at that point. Storm and tempest was going to visit out simple and humble land and wash away the sins of a thousand crooked jump shots. What actually happened was that we held our own, pushed them around at times and grew legs as a basketball nation. There was a highlight reel at that time of us dunking, blocking and hustling our way to the promised-land. I remember that as the dawn of Australian basketballs new self image. It certainly was the dawn of mine. We were for real and we were here to stay. Thanks Kareem.” Luc Longley looks back to a pivotal moment in Australian basketball.</p>

HTML <p>Lucien “Luc” James Longley was born in Melbourne, Victoria on January 19th, 1969. His parents Richard and Sue both played representative basketball and had met each other playing basketball at Albert Park Basketball Stadium, Melbourne. Luc’s earliest memory of basketball was watching his parents play basketball in stadiums in Perth, Western Australia.</p>

HTML <p>Despite this background and his obvious height Luc did not really get into basketball until he was about twelve years of age. His first coach Ed Rogers made the game fun and instilled confidence in all his players. “My parents encouraged me without being pushy towards my basketball. I believe this was crucial to my staying in the game for so long and loving to play the game,” recalls Luc.</p>

HTML <p>His progress at the junior level was not as fast as some would expect. Luc was very tall and at that age gaining skills is not easy. He did make the Western Australian Under 16 team. “But I really didn’t have any impact on the team,” says Luc. There was also the task of deciding whether he really wanted to devote so much time to basketball. He was a very intelligent youngster and being around exciting people like his uncle John Longley who was a member of the Australian crew that won the America’s Cup (1983) in yachting was quite a distraction.</p>

HTML <p>Part of that decision-making process was for Luc to go to the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) in Canberra when he was offered a scholarship in 1985. He was at that stage not ready to play top level basketball but the coaches at the AIS recognised his potential and “pedigree”. “A very important part of my offering Luc a scholarship to the AIS was to put him into a situation where he could better decide what he wanted to do in basketball and for that matter in life. His dad and I agreed on that approach,” remembers AIS Head Coach Dr Adrian Hurley.</p>

HTML <p>Luc worked hard at the AIS but progress was slow and patience was needed. “Both Adrian Hurley and Pat Hunt...the coaches at the AIS...were patient and could see the potential many others did not,” says Luc. “Thanks go to them for looking at long-term gains over short-term gains.”</p>

HTML <p>Luc did play for WA at the Under 18 Australian Championships in Maroochydore in 1985 and teamed up with his mate Andrew Vlahov to win WA’s first ever Australian Basketball Championship. That duo would go on to play together most successfully for another fifteen years and at three Olympics for Australia.</p>

HTML <p>Luc returned to WA from the AIS in 1986 to concentrate on his school studies and to do some more thinking about basketball. </p>

HTML <p>The next year he returned to the AIS and there was joined by Andrew Vlahov who was also on a scholarship. That year he was a member of the Australian Junior Men’s team that played in the 1987 World Championships held in Bormio, Italy. The team finished a highly credible 5th position. Team-mates included Vlahov, Mark Bradtke and Shane Heal, all who were to become stars for the Australian Men’s Team.</p>

HTML <p>At that time fate took a hand. The basketball coach at New Mexico University, USA Gary Colson travelled to Australia to try to recruit Andrew Vlahov to take a scholarship at his University. Vlahov informed Colson that he was going to Stanford University and Colson asked Andrew whether he had any mates that he would think could play in the USA. Andrew replied, “I sure do!” Colson couldn’t believe his luck when he recruited Luc to Albuquerque.</p>

HTML <p>Arriving at New Mexico in 1987 Longley started out slowly but as he gained strength and confidence he became the backbone of the University basketball team. Longley played at New Mexico for four years and led the team to some of their best seasons. Luc was an All Conference Player. He also put together the only “triple-doubles” (twice) in the College’s history.</p>

HTML <p>In 1988 in his second year at New Mexico, Longley was selected to the Australian Men’s Team (Boomers) for the Seoul Olympics. His selection (along with Bradtke and Vlahov) did not go down well in some sections of the Australian media as Vlahov and Longley had not played NBL and many of the public (and media) had not heard of them. The 1988 Olympic Coach Dr Adrian Hurley states,” I did not pick them on potential. I picked them because I knew they could produce at that level and all three were special players even though they were all only nineteen years of age.”</p>

HTML <p>Prior to the OlympicsLongley played for the Boomers against Czechoslovakia (two games) Nebraska (two games) and the USSR (six games). The Soviet tour was excellent preparation for the upcoming Olympics.</p>

HTML <p>At Seoul Longley played some great minutes and turned at least one game in the Boomers favour when they were in trouble. The Boomers played in the semi-finals and finished in 4th place the highest ever result by the Boomers (since equalled twice-1996 and 2000). “I believe that the Seoul Olympics was where I finally understood what it was going to take to be good and that it was achievable,” says Luc. “Simply being at the Olympics and the Opening Ceremony was fantastic but I will always remember waiting at the score table to go into the game for the first time in the tournament. I felt excited, proud and responsible all at once........a powerful combination.”</p>

HTML <p>In 1989 Longley played for the Boomers in the Kareem Abdul JabbarAll Stars series and on the team that won the Oceania 1990 World Championships Qualification Tournament. He was named as the 1989 Basketball Australia International Player of the Year.</p>

HTML <p>Longley continued to star at New Mexico and was selected to play for Australia at the 1990 World Championships in Argentina. Prior to attending the World Championships in Argentina Longley and the Boomers played in the Goodwill Games in Seattle. </p>

HTML <p>In the World Championships Longley played very well and in the game against the USA more than held his own with Alonzo Mourning (it could be said that he got the better of the American star). The Aussies lost to the USA by one point in a game “they should have won”. Australia finished the tournament a very credible 7th position.</p>

HTML <p>In 1991 all Luc’s hard work, talent and potential paid off when he was selected in the first round of the NBA draft (7th pick) by the Minnesota Timberwolves a young franchise Club. The Wolves were struggling and Luc found it difficult to get court minutes.</p>

HTML <p>In 1992 Luc played for the Boomers against China and the South West All Stars. He was then selected for his second Olympic Games.</p>

HTML <p>After less than desirable preparation and playing in the NBL the weekend prior to the Olympics the Boomers arrived in Barcelona.The Boomers got off to a fast start in the Olympic Tournament with a great victory over the fifth ranked team in the world Puerto Rico but inconsistent play kept them out of the medals. They secured 6th place in the first “Open” Olympics that included the first USA “Dream Team” with players like Jordon, Johnson, Bird, and company. Sixth place was the second best performance by the Boomers to that time.</p>

HTML <p>Luc did not play for Australia from 1993 to 1999. This was mainly due to injuries and insurance difficulties.</p>

HTML <p>Luc battled on at the Wolves until 1994 when again in his basketball career fate took a role. The Chicago Bulls were looking for a “passing centre in the role of a Bill Walton” to compliment their stars Michael Jordon and Scottie Pippen. Chicago did their homework and spoke to whoever they could (including Coach Hurley) to get their opinions. Jackson had seen Luc at the 1990 Goodwill Games and liked what he saw. Jackson saw Luc as, “An unselfish team player who would anchor the post in our sideline triangle offense and be a stopper at the defensive end where he was fearless.”</p>

HTML <p>Luc was to go on to play for five seasons (1994-1998) at Chicago and won three NBA title rings as well as becoming a great favourite of the Chicago fans and the American basketball public in general.</p>

HTML <p>In 1998 he was traded to the Phoenix Suns and in 2000 to the New York Knicks.</p>

HTML <p>However the big tournament....the 2000 Sydney Olympics...was coming and this was to be the chance for the Boomers to win their first ever Medal at an Olympics Games. Longley, Gaze, Heal, Bradtke and all the leading players would be playing for the Boomers. The Boomers would be in front of home fans, family and friends and this was their best opportunity as no financial stone was unturned by the OAC and the Australian Government to secure success.</p>

HTML <p>Longley was selected to the Boomers for the Sydney 2000 Olympics and played games against the USA (in Melbourne) and Lithuania (in Wollongong) after touring with the Boomers to Europe (six games) and playing in the FIBA Diamond Ball Tournament in Hong Kong (three games).</p>

HTML <p>Longley and the Boomers played very well in the Sydney 2000 Olympics. After a slow start they stormed home with some great wins to meet France in the semi-finals. With Longley and Bradtke the cornerstones of the Boomers interior offense and defence and the sharpshooting of the guards Heal and Gaze the Australians were in fine form and had every right to be confident against France. Longley gave the team that size, rebounding, defence and passing skill that the team offense and defence could revolve around. The Boomers felt they could beat France and they went into the game as favourites. The French played marvellously well and disaster struck the Boomers when Longley was injured just after half-time and took no further part in the game. The French went on to win comfortably. </p>

HTML <p>The Boomers still had the chance of a Bronze Medal and played very well against Lithuania but again without Longley being able to play against the giant Lithuanian Centre Sibonis they lost to the Lithuanians. The Boomers were 4th in the tournament. </p>

HTML <p>Most of the team saw it “as an opportunity lost”, perhaps it was but the Boomers had achieved 4th in the world and that was once again a result that was exceptional. There was no doubt to all at those Games how important and how dominant Longley was as a player in the tournament for Australia and that he was one of the stand-out “big men” in the tournament.</p>

HTML <p>Sydney 2000 was Longley’s last appearance as a player for Australia. </p>

HTML <p>After one more season with the New York Knicks in 2001 and struggling with a degenerative ankle injury Luc Longley called down the curtain on his magnificent career.</p>

HTML <p>He continued his association in basketball when he and Andrew Vlahov bought the Perth WildcatsNational Basketball League (NBL) Club. They sold the Club a few years later. Longley continues to support basketball and has involved himself with coaching members of the Boomers squads in an effort to pass onto the players his vast knowledge and experience. He acted as an advisory coach to the 2012 Boomers at the London Olympic Games. In 2013 he was appointed as an Assistant Coach for the Boomers.</p>

HTML <p>Shane Heal comments on Longley. “He is a great guy.....he was always going to do special things and did a lot for Australian basketball.....and never lost his accent.” </p>

HTML <p>Luc’s career as a player in the NBA is unequalled in Australian basketball history. The fact that he was a starter on a team that won three NBA titles is the envy of most NBA former and present players. His career is an example for all future players to demonstrate that if young Australian basketball players have the desire, enjoy the game, value the game, and give their best for their teammates, Club and country then they can reach the pinnacles in the world of basketball.</p>

HTML <p>In 2006 Longley was inducted into Basketball Australia’s Hall of Fame.</p>

HTML <p>On 8th October, 2009 Luc Longley was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame at its 25th Anniversary Dinner in Melbourne.</p>

HTML <p>Luc Longley at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games (Courtesy Basketball Australia)</p>

HTML <p>Longley playing with the Minnesota Wolves in the NBA(Luc Longley)</p>