Royal coup for Kings
Sydney lures coaching great Goorjian back to club
Brian Goorjian knew a return to coach the Sydney Kings was a certainty when he began contacting close connections around midday on Monday.
And now, as exclusively revealed by Code Sports on Monday, the most successful coach in franchise history has reunited with the Kings.
Goorjian had commenced official discussions with the Kings last week, just days after the franchise parted ways with coach Mahmoud Abdelfattah.
It’s understood Sydney’s coowner – Boomers and NBA legend Luc Longley – had, late last month, unofficially reached out to the NBL’s most successful coach to gauge his interest in a potential comeback to the Kings.
Goorjian, who was keen to return to the NBL after completing his coaching commitments with the Boomers at this year’s Paris Olympics, liked Longley’s pitch.
Conversations quickly progressed and its understood he began his due diligence on the Kings operation mid-last week, reaching out to at players before the weekend.
Sydney officials were desperate to move promptly on a new coach after being left in the lurch with previous mentor Chase Buford.
Buford departed the club for another opportunity, leaving the Kings to enter free agency without a coach.
It’s why Sydney swooped in on Goorjian – the club’s most successful coach following his historic three-peat in 2003-2005.
In an exclusive interview with Code Sports last Saturday, the veteran mentor reinforced his desire to return to the Kings.
“Listening to their thoughts, we’re on the same page moving forward, it’s attractive,” Goorjian said about his conversations with Sydney officials. It’s a great club they’ve gone on and won two more (titles since the three-peat), the professionalism off the court, it’s just a great basketball club.
“It has a great chance to win, team wants to move forward from where they are right now and there’s a vacancy.\“I said from the start of this thing I wanted to go into a place where I feel like my skill package is needed and useful and I want to win so, for me, it ticks a lot of boxes.” Goorjian strongly indicated that he would most likely become Sydney’s next coach if the terms of a deal could be reached. On Monday, it’s understood the six-time championship-winner had verbally agreed to return.