I don't love it as much as every other King fan, but it will be interesting to see what impact if any it has on who signs with Sydney given all the Free Agents we have.

This partially offsets against the fact he's still Boomers coach.

Well, Goorj is 70, but that's young.

Trump is 77 and Biden is 81. Popovich is 75 and Wayne Bennett is 74

I mean, the Pope is 87 and he's still travelling the world giving sermons

17 year Kings dynasty incoming?

Kings needed to do this to halt the exodus of players out the door.

Like the old days, pity they can't move back to the entertainment centre so you can have a good night out.
Congratulations, I wish him well.

"Like the old days, pity they can't move back to the entertainment centre so you can have a good night out. "

Oh how I wish... but hey, I can eat Messinas while sitting in the shade of apartments on that site now...

They were good years, crowds were poor compared today though. Great team though.

This is only a good thing for the Kings. Surprised this happened so quickly but.

My contacts are saying it's not official yet, not certain. Has it been confirmed.

Not official, but it's a done deal. Likely to be a press conference announced for some time this week.

It's not over till the fat lady sings.

If true, who signs at the kings that's border line boomers to get himself on the plane, White, Cooks, any other thoughts.

Pretty sure Goorjian isn't the national coach after the Olympics, though he was quoted that this Olympics will be his last

They will be signing players before the 2024 Olympics.

Matt Logue basically saying its official. Olgun saying its not official but Goorj flys to Sydney tomorrow. Interesting...

Sydney need to be top 4 next season and consistent and competitive if they want big crowds again next season

Sydney hirachey were. In Adelaide the weekend Goorg was interviewed by Sixers ,looks like they spoke to Goorg to see what Sixers offered him and put a deal for Brian .Sydney have been poaching him since the kings played Sydney .I sat two rows back and had a gut feeling they were keen to get Brian's signature easy.

Bad decision.

He is getting to the past it age and also how much will it cost them as he will look to buy the best players which will not be cheap and he would not be cheap either.

Could this be the end of the Kings at the end of the season or next for another period just like the last time he was there.

What if they do not perform will he go of his own accord or will the heirachy have to guts to move him on.

Also will Jackomas make a reappearance to be his Assistant.

The kings are loaded, finish of the kings lmao. Smith, Bogut, Longley plus some super rich American businesswoman, they got more money than half the clubs on their own.

Dunkman, do you know how much of an influence Robyn Denholm has on the Kings organisation? (She's actually Australian) I realise she is a part owner. Does she come back to Sydney very often? Wonder what her role is. More into the business side and Marketing perhaps

They will be signing players before the 2024 Olympics.

So , it's not like the players are showing him anything he doesn’t already know & there is no benefit in signing for the Kings if he is finished at the Olympics after this year

Yes she is Australian, I believe she is an equal partner and like Smith, very astute business person. I'm not certain on this season but she was back a few times last season. Re decision making, I’ve got no idea, but these sort of smart people don’t let people spend their money without imput. Kings and United are probably the best two run organisations in the nbl and quite a few other sports organisations as well.

If Jack White would sign for kings before end of month, I'm certain it’s not going to hurt his Paris chances, like Reath a few seasons ago

Jack White might sign for the Kings but I reckon if he comes back to the NBL my money would be he goes back to Melbourne

Well I'm only guessing, but if White was coming back to nbl, going to kings certainly wouldn’t hurt his Paris chances. United got, Tavers and SEM got Creek so Melbourne probably not.

Yeah, I would have preferred Chase back. But Gorj will attract playing talent and understands the FIBA game. Massive improvement on the last knucklehead regardless.

I'd preferred Weaver, he was great with out screaming at refs continually like Buford did.

And Goorjin doesnt lol

Goorj does but not at Buford levels, it was ridiculous what he got away with.

Bruce Palmer was a beast to the refs, in his days at the Giants.

Announced officially tomorrow.

Bruce Palmer was a beast to the refs, in his days at the Giants.

It's official, I’m surprised.

Bruce Palmer was the coach of the North Melbourne Giants in the late 80's.

They came to Dromana for a pre-season camp one Summer.

My Dad was involved with Southern Peninsula at the time.
The Giants were getting ready for a training session and it was stinking hot inside the stadium.

My Dad asked Bruce, "Hey Bruce, woukd you like us to open all the side doors?"

Palmer replied, "No. Make them sweat!"

I'm not convinced this is a good move for the kings. Especially three years. Judging by his latest stints with the hawks and boomers I'm not even sure his recruitment is up to it let alone his coaching.

If the new behaviour edict stays next season he will be in trouble

New behaviour rules should be enforced, Goorj is a smart operator, he'll have the right people around him, I wander if Popovic will be there.

"best city in Australia and strongest franchise"

Goorj already selling the rivalry, I like it

Melbourne and Perth, respectively, and their fans will have a few things to say about that

So might Tassie and the JJ's if they can snatch a title this year

Goorj probably remembers his time in Sydney most fondly, because of the 3 peat

Sydney was the place Goorjian really proved himself

Although he won 2 titles with the Magic, his 4 year stint with Victoria Titans will mostly be remembered for the playoff failures. 4 years, stacked roster, couldn't get it done.

He arrived in Sydney and answered his critics emphatically

I completely agree Kolzee

If Roland Robert's hadn’t damaged his shoulder in the dunk contest, kings and goorj probably win four.

I don't think anyone was stopping Anstey that year. Tigers even beat the 27-3 Kings 2 years later

Only the Casino Chip Bullets beat the Tigers during 06-08. 09 Dragons got them, Anstey was still top 3/top 5 in NBL but had slowed a fraction.

But yeah, 06 would've been interesting if Roberts was there

Again going off memory but Robert's did a number on Anstey just before he got hurt, I remember Goorj was ropable. They were great days.

Good times indeed

I was at Game 3 in 08 when Lampley hit the game winner to take the 2-1 series lead

I was also in Brisbane to see the Tigers get walloped in game 3 of 07 against that brilliant Bullets team.

The NBL back then was better than it is now in respect to its top four teams.

Everyone knew that dunk meant Roberts was done.

Lampley was huge in front of a hostile Sydney crowd. Legit.

Bullets' crowd for their Grand Final games and return to Boondall sucked. Be better Brisbane.

Casino Chip Bullets

Bruce Palmer was the coach of the North Melbourne Giants in the late 80's.

They came to Dromana for a pre-season camp one Summer.

My Dad was involved with Southern Peninsula at the time.
The Giants were getting ready for a training session and it was stinking hot inside the stadium.

My Dad asked Bruce, "Hey Bruce, woukd you like us to open all the side doors?"

Palmer replied, "No. Make them sweat!"

Oh, Ozhoops, those were the days

Like "Curious" aka Bruce getting me into the Hunter Pirates locker room, where Rusty Hinder was telling everyone the Tigers were old and slow (which, to be fair, was probably true)

Mattic with a peace offering, sending me a cigar in the mail for my....18th? Or was it 21st?

I could go on. Good times.

There was indeed some good sauce.

I had the inside word on Anstey's return long before the announcement from "Tigesgirl" who I also knew in real life.

On the Goorj topic, I was sitting on the scorebench, Kings end, in December 2005 on the night Goorj got ejected and Anstey drained all the free throws with the Tigers winning by 7

That was the beginning of the Tigers-Kings rivalry. Anstey was in town and the 3peat Kings had some competition.

It was also the reignition of the Tigers vs Goorjian rivalry which had been thoroughly dominated by Goorjian in recent years after the epic battles of the 90's and a few great Tigers vs Titans series (like the 2002 upset where the 6th seeded Tigers knocked off the top seeded Titans)

Goorj got the last laugh in 2009.

And now 15 years later with the Tiger rebranded to United, and a powerhouse yet again, Goorj returns to Sydney.

Let the games begin!

LOL it wasn't Rolan Roberts' shoulder it was his chesticles (torn pectoral muscle) from doing the Vince Carter elbow dunk.

And almost everyone will tell you, the Kings definitely win that year if he had played. CJ was on a tear and they were just solid on both ends.

Yes that right on both accounts, thanks.

CJ got towelled up by a 41 year old D-Mac in the Grand Final!

Tigers brand was build on Defense and the best big in the league, it was perfect for the grind of playoff basketball.

They were possibly the "last mohicans" in not having great 3-point shooting but the game was more physical and they just man-handled opponents. Legally, but just!

No one man handled Roland, he was a beast, as I said previously, Goorj was ropable.

Sliding doors moments and what-ifs.

I do enjoy these.

Eg if Childress wasn't injured 2018, would Adelaide have defeated United in the GF?

If Cotton was healthy in 2021, do Perth beat United?

If CG43 wasn't injured in 2022, would United with home-court advantage have beaten the Kings?

If Ili and Hukporti hadn't been injured in 2023 would United have challenged Sydney?

They happen every year.

Touché.

"Tigers brand was build on Defense"

Under Lindsay Gaze?

Goorj probably remembers his time in Sydney most fondly, because of the 3 peat
Sydney was the place Goorjian really proved himself

Goorj was excellent in his first stint at kings, he's still smart, he’ll have good people around him, championships are hard to win but he’s certainly got great opportunities in Sydney. Smith and his team do at times look like knobs but they certainly are in the top few franchises now.

"Under Lindsay Gaze?"

Westover

The change was immediate. Amongst Tigers fans, murmurs were the new coach had brought a renewed focus on D during the pre-season

First game I remember well. September 2005 at The Cage, beat the Hawks about 103-61 or something like that. In the 48 minute era.

Look, with where Sydney's at, this is a good move

If I'm an NBL GM without a coach and I can steal any NBL coach tomorrow, I'd rather have Vickerman, Roth, Moar. Maybe Forde. Goorj would be my 4th or 5th choice- primarily due to his age. Those others could stay for 10 years, Goorj probably won't.

But Sydney is a power franchise with resources behind them, they want to win now and they want somebody proven. Goorj ticks the boxes. If I'm a Kings fan I like it, for sure.

Ideal scenario is Goorjian takes a quality coach under his wing (hopefully someone who turns out better than Jackomas! Jacob Chance who's currently at United, say), Goorj stays 3 or 4 years then hands over the reigns with a good deal of continuity.

Goorjian, somewhat fairly copped a lot of flak for

-needing talented rosters to win (well duh, doesn't everyone lol)

-at times playing a "non exciting" brand of basketball

Very Popp, and you have to ask the naysayers, what's the alternative, looking good and losing lol

He doesn't get nearly enough credit for:

-his immaculate way of preparing his teams. They just come ready. They're always superior than the rest of the league from an S & C aspect, they're consistent, discipline and play for each other. Just having talent doesn't guarantee that.

-his special way of extracting every ounce of talent and productivity out of each piece whether marquee import or 10th man.

A lot of his import signings are actually so-so on paper or skillset.

Roberts was essentially a Rodman, could rebound and defend but wasn't offering anything with the ball.

Carrawell had that Duke pedigree but was limited offensively.

Sanford was a near bust. A centre's frame who wanted to play small forward way before that was a thing.

A lot of coaches would scapegoat that player and say "he's just not producing" and chalk up the season as a loss.

Goorj will tinker with it and find the best use for the talent.

Roberts became an enforcer and lob city.

Carrawell was a huge utility piece to the championship puzzle.

Sanford thrived as an oversized 3 man.

Shoot, bless him but BJ Carter besides being an ok 3pt shooter (if left wide open and given sufficient space) was so far from being NBL quality (even at a time when NBL was basically ABA/NBL1 plus lol). And still, Goorj found a way to use him sparingly as 8th man at times.

BG got that scrappy Hawks teams to the playoffs the 2 years he was there, Ogilvy was cooked but still in the rotation...

Goorj cops flack for the Boomers performance, the reality is the Boomers might not even be a top 8 team ATM regardless of who's coaching!

Was Goorj the last Kings coach to last 3+ seasons?

Will Goorj go hunting the two Illawarra assistants, Shawn Roger's and Laughy Lonergan, both been excellent and you can see Tatum going to them in time outs and even during the game. Both started at kings.