4
Apr
CODE Sports
How Luc Longley's board games lured Goorjian home
Brian Goorjian Head Coach of the Kings yells out instructions from the sideline during game two of NBL Playoff Series between Perth Wildcats and Sydney Kings at RAC Arena, on March 14, 2026, in Perth, Australia. Photo: James Worsfold/Getty Images
The coach who left Sydney heartbroken returned to chase the ultimate redemption story
- Game 1: 'Saturday night slaughter' as KD's Kings fire first shot
- Game 2: Cotton game-winner levels series as KD loses his cool
- Game 3: 'All love' as KD talks Cotton clash as Kings take Game 3
- Game 4: DJ winds back the clock to keep 36ers alive
Brian Goorjian wouldn’t be coaching the Sydney Kings without Luc Longley – a seed first planted over a game of backgammon in China 10 years ago, writes Matt Logue from CODE Sports Basketball.
As Goorjian prepares to win a seventh NBL ring on Sunday, he revealed the role Longley played in luring him back to the Kings after a 16-year hiatus.
The year was 2016 and ‘Goorj’ was coaching in Guangzhou when he caught up with members of an All-Australian NBL team touring China. Longley was an assistant coach under Andrej Lemanis and the former NBA big man went out of his way to connect with Goorjian.
The pair built a bond over late night games of backgammon, before the legendary Chicago Bull made an off the cuff comment about ‘Goorj’ finishing his career with the Kings.
“But at the time Sydney wasn’t on my radar and I wasn’t thinking about that at all,” Goorjian reflected.
Goorjian kept in contact with Longley when he got the Boomers job in 2020, and later when he returned to the NBL with the Illawarra Hawks.
Flash forward to early 2024 and Goorjian had multiple opportunities in the background prior to the Paris Olympics with the Boomers, including Adelaide, the Phoenix and a potential future coaching gig at a new Newcastle franchise.
But when Longley came calling one random night while Goorjian was sitting on the couch with his wife Amanda, he felt compelled to accept his offer.
“You get to that age where you have a feeling and what was out there I didn’t really have any energy towards,” he said.
“But when Luc called about the opportunity of going back to the Kings, I was like, ‘wow’.
“I’d remembered Luc’s initial comment about finishing my career with Sydney all those years ago and it really hit me.
“He said, ‘remember we talked about you coming back to the Kings’ and I was going to come and knock on your door.
“Luc then asked if I could talk to owner Robyn (Denholm) and once I got on the phone to Robyn and saw her vision around community and growing the brand, it just felt like the right decision.”
For the full story on CODE Sports Basketball, click here.
.jpg)
