Luc Longley facts for kids
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | 19 January 1969 Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
| High school | Scotch College (Perth, Western Australia) |
| Listed height | 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m) |
| Listed weight | 265 lb (120 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | New Mexico (1987–1991) |
| NBA Draft | 1991 / Round: 1 / Pick: 7th overall |
| Selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves | |
| Pro career | 1986–2001 |
| Coaching career | 2013–present |
| Career history | |
| 1986 | Perth Wildcats |
| 1987–1990 | Perth Redbacks |
| 1991–1994 | Minnesota Timberwolves |
| 1994–1998 | Chicago Bulls |
| 1999–2000 | Phoenix Suns |
| 2000–2001 | New York Knicks |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 4,090 (7.2 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 2,794 (4.9 rpg) |
| Blocks | 549 (1.0 bpg) |
Luc Longley (born January 19, 1969) is an Australian basketball coach and a former professional player. He was the first Australian to play in the National Basketball Association (NBA), which is the top basketball league in the world. He played for four different teams over 10 seasons.
He is most famous for playing with the Chicago Bulls, where he won three championships in a row from 1996 to 1998. Luc also played for Australia in three Olympic Games (1988, 1992, and 2000). Later, he became an assistant coach for the Australian national basketball team.
Luc started his basketball journey in Australia. In 1986, he briefly played for the Perth Wildcats in the NBL. He then played college basketball for the New Mexico Lobos. In the 1991 NBA draft, the Minnesota Timberwolves picked him as the 7th overall player.
After playing three seasons with the Timberwolves, he joined the Bulls in 1994. He became the Bulls' main center during their amazing 1995–96 season. That year, they set an NBA record with 72 wins in the regular season. Luc was a key part of the team's success and helped them win three championships in a row. After the Bulls team changed in 1998, he played for the Phoenix Suns and New York Knicks.
Contents
Early Life and Basketball Beginnings
Luc Longley was born on January 19, 1969, in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. His father, Richard Longley, was an architect who was 6 feet 10 inches tall. He also played basketball for Australia in two Olympic Games. Luc's mother, Sue, is 6 feet 4 inches tall.
Luc grew up in Fremantle, Western Australia. When he was 16, he was part of Australia's Under-19 basketball team. The next year, in 1986, he played two games for the Perth Wildcats.
College Basketball in the U.S.
Luc was recruited from Scotch College in Perth by the University of New Mexico's basketball coach. Luc attended the University of New Mexico from 1987 to 1991. In his final year, he averaged 19.1 points and 9.2 rebounds per game. He helped New Mexico reach the NCAA Tournament in 1991.
When he was 19, Luc played for the Australian national team at the Seoul Olympics in 1988. The team finished fourth, which was the best result for an Australian men's basketball team at the Olympics at that time.
Luc also spent time at the Australian Institute of Sport in 1986 and 1987. There, he trained under the coach of the Australian Boomers, Adrian Hurley. During the 1990s, Luc, along with Mark Bradtke and Andrew Vlahov, formed a strong front line for the Australian Boomers.
When Luc returned to Perth during his college breaks, he played for the Perth Redbacks. He helped the team win two State Basketball League (SBL) championships in 1989 and 1990.
NBA Career Highlights
Luc Longley was chosen 7th overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 1991 NBA Draft. After some long talks about his contract, he made his NBA debut on November 30, 1991. In 1992, he played for Australia again at the Barcelona Olympics.
After playing for the Timberwolves for over two seasons, Luc was traded to the Chicago Bulls in 1994.
Joining the Chicago Bulls
Luc became the starting center for the Bulls. He won three championships in a row with the Bulls from 1996 to 1998. This made him the first Australian player to win an NBA title, and he is still the only Australian to have won three championships.
After playing 55 games as a reserve in the 1994–95 season, Bulls coach Phil Jackson made him the starting center for the 1995–96 season. He had surgery on his left ankle after that season, which meant he could not play for the Australian Boomers at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.
Luc missed almost two months of the 1996–97 season. This happened after he dislocated his shoulder while body surfing. In an interview, Luc said that during this time, Michael Jordan would call him, asking him to return to the court soon.
Later NBA Teams
After the Bulls team changed after the 1997–98 season, Luc was traded to the Phoenix Suns. He played for the Suns for a short time.
Before the 2000–01 NBA season, Luc was traded to the New York Knicks. This was a big trade involving four teams. Luc played one year with the Knicks before he retired. He had to stop playing because of a problem with his left ankle.
Playing for Australia
Luc Longley first played for the Australian national basketball team in 1988. For the next 12 years, he was usually the starting center for the team. He played in three Summer Olympic Games: 1988, 1992, and 2000. He also played in the 1990 FIBA World Championship.
Unfortunately, injuries stopped him from playing for Australia at the 1996 Olympics. He also missed the 1994 and 1998 FIBA World Championships due to injuries.
During his time playing for Australia, Luc played alongside many great Australian basketball players. These included Andrew Gaze, Mark Bradtke, and Andrew Vlahov.
Awards and Recognition
In 2001, Luc Longley was honored by the Australian Institute of Sport as one of their 'Best of the Best' athletes. He was also a part-owner of the Perth Wildcats basketball club for several years.
In 2006, he was inducted into Basketball Australia's Hall of Fame. On October 8, 2009, Luc was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame. He was only the fourth basketball player to receive this honor. In August 2021, Luc was also inducted into the Basketball Western Australia Hall of Fame.
Coaching Career
Luc Longley has often talked about how important playing for the Australian Boomers was for him as a player. This is why he wanted to return to the national team program as an assistant coach. He became an assistant coach for the Australian men's national basketball team from 2013 to 2019.
Personal Life
Luc Longley is married to Anna Gare, who is a former musician and a television presenter. They got married in 2008. The Longley family is well known in the Fremantle, Western Australia area.
In 1996, Luc bought a house in Riverwoods, Illinois. He also wrote a book called Running with the Bulls about the 1995–96 basketball season. The Bulls coach, Phil Jackson, wrote the introduction for the book.
In 2007, Luc's home in Fremantle was destroyed by a fire. It was first thought that he lost many items from his basketball career. However, he later said he only lost his 1996 team photo. He then bought a warehouse nearby, which was turned into a house for his family. In 2015, Luc and Anna moved to a property near the coastal town of Denmark.
In 2009, Luc, who has helped with ocean conservation, named a new type of shrimp after his daughter.
See also
In Spanish: Luc Longley para niños
