Lemanis Boomers Assistant
Tagged in: NZ Breakers
Marc Hinton, Fairfax Media
NZ Breakers coach Andrej Lemanis has continued his meteoric rise in the game by landing a top job with the Australian national men’s basketball team.
Lemanis was today named as one of three assistants for new Boomers coach Brett Brown as the Australians completed an overhaul of their top men’s side.
The US-based Brown, who is an assistant coach with the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA and cut his coaching teeth in New Zealand’s NBL, was recently named as the successor to long-time Boomers mentor Brian Goorjian.
Goorjian guided the team through 120 internationals between 2002-08, including the last two Olympics.
Basketball Australia named Lemanis along with former Boomers star Shane Heal and Marty Clarke as the assistants who will work with Brown through to the London Olympics in 2012.
The appointment will not greatly affect Lemanis’ commitments with the Breakers, with the international programme falling outside of the Australian NBL season.
He told stuff.co.nz he envisaged the only disruption occurring in the pre-season buildup period when he had faith his assistants Dean Vickerman and Judd Flavell could handle any responsibilities that came their way.
Plus, he said the fact that Breakers were returning their core group of veteran players would mean disruption was minimal in the buildup period.
On the positive side of the equation Lemanis said the massive growth he would undertake by being exposed to the international game at the highest level would have significant spinoffs when he came back to coach with the Breakers.
“Certainly it’s a huge honour, and also in some ways very humbling to be given this responsibility,” said Lemanis.
“Whenever you compete in sport one of your goals is to compete at the highest level you can on the world stage. To have the opportunity to do that now is extremely exciting.”
Lemanis had played and coached against Brown (who has been with the Spurs for the last six years) during his time in the Australian NBL, and had also had dealings with him as a key contact on his US recruiting trips.
“That’s what makes this opportunity so exciting,” added Lemanis. “There’s a huge amount to be learnt from him. He’s had some fantastic opportunities and experience over the last eight years.
“I’m sure there is plenty I can learn and plenty of ideas I can steal for the Breakers.”
Lemanis said he was sure his exposure to the best basketball playing and coaching talent in the world would only benefit the Auckland-based club.
“By me being in that environment it can only ultimately help the Breakers.”
Leamanis has made great strides with the Breakers since being appointed head coach in 2005, taking them to an historic playoff appearance last year and guiding them all the way to the semifinals this year, where they were eventually beaten by defending champs the Melbourne Tigers.
He played in the Australian NBL for the St Kilda Saints, the South Melbourne Saints and the South East Melbourne Magic (with whom he won a championship in 1992), and was an assistant coach of the Townsville Crocodiles for seven years before heading across the Tasman.
Lemanis was also an assistant coach with the Australian men’s under-23 team in 2005.
“I am extremely happy with the selections,” Brown said from the United States. “Andrej has an outstanding knowledge of the game and has done very good things with the NZ Breakers.”
Lemanis, Heal, Clarke and Bill Tomlinson, as network coach, replace Goorjian’s assistants Brendan Joyce and Gordon McLeod.
