Luc Longley

Luc Longley is a former NBA champion who transitioned from a pioneering Australian basketball player to a respected coach and advocate for the sport. After becoming the first Australian ever selected in the NBA Draft, chosen 7th overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves in 1991, Luc Longley went on to achieve historic success as a pioneering force in professional basketball. His early career included playing two games for the Perth Wildcats of the National Basketball League (NBL) in 1986 and contributing to the Perth Redbacks’ consecutive State Basketball League (SBL) championships in 1989 and 1990 while attending the University of New Mexico. Following three seasons with the Timberwolves, Longley was traded to the Chicago Bulls in 1994, where he solidified his legacy as the team’s starting center and was a key component of their legendary three-peat, winning three consecutive NBA championships from 1996 to 1998 alongside Hall of Famer Michael Jordan.

His enduring legacy in basketball has been recognized with multiple prestigious inductions: the Australian Institute of Sport ‘Best of the Best’ in 2001, Basketball Australia’s Hall of Fame in 2006, and the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 2009. He has also been actively involved in ownership and management roles within various Australian basketball organizations, further demonstrating his unwavering commitment to the sport’s development. Most recently, Longley was inducted into the Basketball Western Australia Hall of Fame in 2021, a testament to his lasting influence and contributions to the sport in his home state. Today, Luc Longley continues to be a respected advocate for basketball, leveraging his unparalleled experience to inspire the next generation of athletes and leaders within the sport.