25
Aug
Hall Of Fame
Andrew Gaze elevated to Legend status in Sport Australia Hall of Fame
Australian basketball legend Andrew Gaze recently celebrated his 60th birthday.
Andrew Gaze has been elevated to Legend status in the Sport Australia Hall of Fame, the first basket
- The NBL's 'GOAT' Andrew Gaze recently celebrated his 60th birthday
- Gaze is a two-time NBL champion and seven-time NBL MVP
- He has been inducted into the FIBA, Australian Sporting and Australian Basketball Hall of Fames
Basketball icon Andrew Gaze AM OLY has today been elevated to Legend status in the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.
Recognised for his excellence and lifelong contribution to basketball, Gaze will be elevated alongside cricket great Belinda Clark AO, together becoming the 52nd and 53rd Legends announced since 1993. They will join inaugural trio Sir Donald Bradman AC, Dawn Fraser AC MBE and Sir Hubert Opperman OBE, and more recent Legends such as Cathy Freeman OAM, Shane Warne AO and Ian Thorpe AM.
For Gaze, whose extraordinary career already places him among Australia’s sporting greats, the announcement carried a deeply personal significance.
“Being elevated to Legend status is something I’ve never really thought about, and it’s an honour I never imagined would be bestowed upon me,” Gaze said.
“It’s very humbling, and there’s always a touch of guilt around it, because when you look at some of the people in there, you think, ‘What the hell am I doing in this type of company?’, but I’m very grateful that others feel it’s worthy, and I’m honoured to have this recognition.”
Across a 22-season career with the Melbourne Tigers, Gaze scored nearly 19,000 points, won two NBL championships and became a seven-time league MVP — an award that now fittingly bears his name.
Gaze’s impact reached the United States, where he played with the Washington Bullets and was part of the San Antonio Spurs’ 1999 championship team. In earlier years, he guided Seton Hall University to the 1989 NCAA Championship Game, opening doors for generations of Australians to follow in the US college pathway.
Representing the Boomers on the world stage defined much of Gaze’s career, including five Olympic Games, four World Cups, 297 national team appearances and eight years as captain. With 789 points, he remains the second-highest Olympic scorer in history, and in 2000 he enjoyed one of his most proudest moments, carrying the Australian flag into his final Games in Sydney.
“When I was growing up, through my dad, I was educated about the Olympic Games, the spirit of competition, and in particular the values associated with representing your country at the Olympics, along with the spirit of the Games and everything else that goes with it.
“Those values were instilled in me at a very early age, so my boyhood dreams and aspirations always centred around the pinnacle of playing for Australia and competing at the Olympics. Those Olympic experiences probably stick out a bit more because they are a direct result of the boyhood dreams you have as a youngster.”
Basketball Australia CEO Matt Scriven said the announcement marked a pivotal moment, recognising Gaze as the first Australian basketballer to receive the honour.
"Andrew Gaze has inspired generations through his brilliance, humility and love for the sport. He has given everything to the game, and his recognition as a Legend is a proud and fitting tribute to not only his extraordinary career, but to the impact he continues to have on Australian sport today.”
The historic achievement will be celebrated at the Sport Australia Hall of Fame Induction & Awards Gala Dinner at Crown Palladium in Melbourne on Monday, 17 November 2025.
