David Patrick’s Aussie pipeline keeps delivering at LSU

• David Patrick is the current assistant coach for LSU, where he also coached Ben Simmons
• He was also an assistant for the Australian Boomers at Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024
• Patrick currently coaches Australian youngster Max Mackinnon at LSU

He may have called the United States home since starting his college coaching career in 2006 Melbourne-raised David Patrick has been a key pipeline for Australians to the heights of the NCAA for the last two decades.

After several years as head coach for Sacramento State, Patrick witnessed the changing tides of the college landscape and rejoined Louisiana State as an assistant for the first time he would coach his god-son Ben Simmons there a decade ago.

After an underwhelming 14-19 record for the program in 2024-25, it was crucial that LSU recruited well this offseason, and it wasn’t long before Patrick was able to lure his first Australian along to his newest stop - Max Mackinnon.

Having played with his father Sam through the junior nationals pathway for Victoria, it gave him an early leg up on recruitment.

“When I was at Sacramento State when he was leaving Elon the first time he was in the portal, we talked about coming and he ended up going to Portland,” Patrick told basketball.com.au.

“I talked them through the process but advised him on what I would do, and ultimately he picked Portland, so not only did I have a relationship with his parents but my relationship grew with Max.

"You fast forward and I get into LSU and he’s in the portal again and for me it was his game, familiarity with the family, and I felt like the jump to the WCC translates to this level, playing against teams like Gonzaga and St Mary’s, San Francisco - he proved he could play and score at that level. So when his name came in the portal I thought he’d be a great fit for us in our rotation and to help us.”

Patrick’s thoughts around Mackinnon’s translation would quickly be realised, and all of a sudden LSU sit at 9-1, with Mackinnon a big reason why.

There was certainly an expectation within the coaching staff that the young wing would contribute to the rotation but after 10 games, Mackinnon has started consistently, currently sitting as their fourth top scorer at 12.7 points a contest.

“I did know that the shooting would translate. As a staff we thought he could get more volume up, so we encouraged him to work on that, and the playmaking and the free throw shooting would convert," Patrick said.

"When you looked at him in the portal, Max had a very high free throw rate, he’s not just a shooter. Those things usually translate to this level.

“His understanding of the rhythm of work for a college player has helped his translate right away, be it Elon, Portland or here. He’s also blessed to have two parents who played basketball at a high level, so Max brings in a high basketball IQ, and when it comes to teaching a new system he picks it up quickly and tells other guys where to go. You’re not teaching him how to play the game. He has a very high IQ on the offensive end of the floor.

“To his credit, he came in, knew what his faults were - he had to get faster and stronger in the weight room and commit to nutrition, so he came in right away and didn’t go home for the summer at all, and it paid off for him.”

Patrick points to how rare Australians playing let alone contributing to Max’s capacity in the Power 4 conferences are as a reflection of his achievements this season.

“I was telling Adam Caporn, he’s kinda like Jack McVeigh - Jack couldn’t really play at Nebraska, but he’s got an uncanny ability to make shots, and he can really pass the ball, and he can drive and get to the free throw line. He’s a threat in multiple ways - he’s not just a shooter.

“I told Max, ‘Don’t sell yourself short’ - who would’ve thought Jack McVeigh would be in the NBA? And Magnay for a stint, or Xavier Cooks? I think he’s trying to push for that.”

So is that to say that Mackinnon has a chance at future Boomers selection? As one of the current coaches on staff, Patrick seems to think so.

“I know that’s his goal, and what he’s doing now shows that it’s possible one day. I think he has a chance when you look at the Boomers in 2028 or 2032 if he keeps working to get to that level," he said.

Involved in the Australian national team since 2019, Patrick continues on in his assistant coach role alongside newly appointed head coach Adam Caporn. The pair have a long-standing history.

“I’m in constant communication with Capes (Caporn). Me and Capes have been together since his time at St Mary’s," he said.

I think the synergy on the staff is important, and with the changing of the guard, having someone who can coach them and is not intimidated by them is big. He’s coached and guided three of our stars in Josh, Dyson and Jock in college."

Caporn wasn’t quite the household name that Quin Synder or Gordon Herbert were, or indeed even as familiar as Will Weaver to most Australian fans, given his time coaching the Sydney Kings and Boomers previously. But Patrick is quick to point out that Caporn is one of our best coaching talents and the right selection to lead the Boomers into their next era.

“Adam’s got a tremendous basketball IQ, particularly on the offensive end of the floor. His ability to develop players is second to none, and so when you look at his track record here in the US, there’s a reason he’s at the front of the bench on the Wizards, there’s a reason the NBA Global Academy and Centre of Excellence were in good standing when they left," Patrick said.

"He obviously learnt under one of the best in Marty Clarke and he worked for one of the best coaches in college in my opinion in Randy Bennett and we’re all kind of from the same tree, and the one thing that makes the Boomers successful is the culture, and he’s connected to that culture given his days with Andrej Lemanis and Brian Goorjian, and those sentiments are still with him.

"It’s not like he’s coming in from the outside and doesn’t know what the Boomers are about. You mix his NBA background with his Aussie roots and his connection to the players and you won’t find a better coach for this transition.”

The Boomers turned out a lacklustre 2024 Olympic Campaign in Paris, ultimately finishing sixth after initial hopes of besting their ‘Rose Gold’ efforts in Tokyo 2020.

Though it was a disappointing finish, one Patrick partially attributes to the lack of on-court chemistry amongst a group that hadn’t played together before, he’s quick to recall that the Boomers were only an overtime battle with Serbia away from the Gold Medal game, which can easily be forgotten.

“The reality is we’re overachieving based on what we spend on the program," he said.

"It probably doesn’t feel like it given the NBA players we have, but these other countries get together every year, play in tournaments - Luka played last summer with Slovenia, Giannis played - we don’t get those same touch points, so I think we’re over achieving in the small amount of time we get together.

"When you talk about the growth of Canadian basketball, French basketball, Serbian basketball, we’re playing against some of the greats. The Greeks have Giannis, even in the Asia Cup, they have imports. Not only is basketball getting better in Australia but it’s getting better across the rest of the world.

With Josh Giddey and now Dyson Daniels continuing to emerge since Paris, the talent is there to compete, even if we don’t have the All-Star calibre talent of some of the aforementioned powerhouses (yet).

“I think this new group, and we don’t know who will be back from the old group, hadn’t been together before last Olympics, and that was evident. Patty Mills, Delly and Ingles are all getting older, and these new guys can take us athletically to a different level, and they’ve had the fortune of learning from three of the best leaders and players probably in Australian basketball history," he said.

About the Author

Michael Houben is an Australian basketball writer and scout based in Melbourne, Victoria. As well as covering the game as a journalist, Michael supports US colleges to identify and recruit Australian talent as the owner of Airtime Scouting, and supports grassroots athletes through Airtime Basketball.