Andrew Gaze

Andrew Barry Casson Gaze, AM (born 24 July 1965) is an Australian former professional basketball player and coach. He played 22 seasons in the National Basketball League (NBL) with the Melbourne Tigers from 1984 to 2005, winning the league's MVP award seven times and winning the scoring title 14 times. He also guided the Tigers to two NBL championships, in 1993 and 1997, and was named an All-NBL First Team member for a record high 15 consecutive years. Gaze has been described as one of the greatest players Australia has ever produced.[1][2]

Andrew Gaze

Gaze at a Melbourne Tigers home game in 2011
Personal information
Born	(1965-07-24) 24 July 1965 Melbourne, Victoria
Nationality	Australian
Listed height	201 cm (6 ft 7 in)
Listed weight	95 kg (209 lb)
Career information
High school	Albert Park College (Melbourne, Victoria)
College	Seton Hall (1988–1989)
NBA draft	1989 / Undrafted
Playing career	1984–2005
Position	Shooting guard
Number	10
Coaching career	2016–present
Career history
As player:
1984–2005	Melbourne Tigers
1991–1992	Udine
1994	Washington Bullets
1995	Apollon Patras
1999	San Antonio Spurs
As coach:
2016–2017	Melbourne Tigers (SEABL)
2016–2019	Sydney Kings
Career highlights and awards
NBA champion (1999) 2× NBL champion (1993, 1997) 7× NBL MVP (1991, 1992, 1994–1998) 11× NBL All-Star (1988–1997, 2004) 2× NBL All-Star Game MVP (1989, 1992) 15× All-NBL First Team (1986–2000) All-NBL Second Team (2001) 8× NBL Most Efficient Player (1990–1997) NBL Rookie of the Year (1984) 14× NBL scoring champion (1986, 1988, 1989, 1991–2001) NBL assist champion (1989) NBL 20th Anniversary Team (1998) NBL 25th Anniversary Team (2003) NBL 40th Anniversary Team (2018) No. 10 retired by Melbourne Tigers 6× Gaze Medalist (1990, 1994–1996, 1998, 2000) FIBA's 50 Greatest Players (1991)
Career NBL statistics
Points	18,908 (30.8 ppg)
Rebounds	3,121 (5.1 rpg)
Assists	3,531 (5.8 apg)
FIBA Hall of Fame as player

Gaze led the senior Australian national team, the Boomers, to five Summer Olympic Games – including as the flag bearer at the opening ceremony of the 2000 Sydney Olympics, and he was also the Australian Team Captain. He was inducted into the Australian Basketball Hall of Fame in 2004, and the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 2005, after becoming a member of the Order of Australia in 2002. In 2013, he joined his father, Lindsay, in the FIBA Hall of Fame, after being elected as a player, to become just the third Australian inductee.[3][4] Two Australian basketball awards have been named in Gaze's honour: the NBL MVP award is named the Andrew Gaze Trophy, and the Australian International Player of the Year award is named the Gaze Medal.

Early life and family

Gaze was born in Melbourne, Victoria, the son of Lindsay and Margaret Gaze, and has an older sister, Janet. Gaze is also the nephew of former Australian Opals coach Tony Gaze and the cousin of Mark Gaze, who played 182 games in the NBL from 1983–1991 and represented Australia at the 1982 FIBA World Championship. He is also the second cousin of Canberra Capitals guard Kate Gaze, the daughter of Mark Gaze and former WNBL player Michelle O'Connor.

Gaze grew up at Albert Park Basketball Stadium, the home of the Victorian Basketball Association (VBA), with his father the general manager of the VBA at the time. After graduating from Albert Park College, Gaze pursued a professional basketball career and attended Victoria University in Melbourne.

Playing career

NBL and college

In 1984, Gaze joined the Melbourne Tigers of the National Basketball League as an 18-year-old. His first season with the Tigers saw him win the NBL Rookie of the Year Award after averaging an impressive 29.1 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.6 steals in 24 games.[5] By 1986, he made his first All-NBL First Team selection. He would go on to earn first-team honours in 15 straight seasons (1986–2000). In the 1987 NBL season, Gaze set an NBL record for points per game in a season when he averaged 44.1 points. This was despite the Tigers finishing the season in last place with a 3–23 record. During the season, Gaze had a 60-point game (against the Newcastle Falcons) and another five 50-point games.

Following the 1988 NBL season, Gaze, who was spotted by talent scouts while playing for Australia at the 1988 Olympics, moved to the United States after being recruited to play college basketball for Seton Hall University. During the 1988–89 season, Gaze played in 38 games for the Seton Hall Pirates, averaging 13.6 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game.[6] Gaze started every game in The Hall's first-ever run to the NCAA Final Four, twice leading all Pirates scorers with 19 points in their Elite Eight win over UNLV and 20 points (highlighted by 4-from-9 shooting from 3) in the National Semifinal win against Duke. He completed his season at Seton Hall with an 80–79 overtime loss to the Michigan Wolverines in the NCAA Championship Game which was played in front of 39,187 fans at the Kingdome in Seattle, where he was heavily guarded and limited to only five field goal attempts, all from three-point range. After a year in New Jersey, Gaze returned to Australia and re-joined the Tigers for the 1989 NBL season.[7] He missed the back-end of the 1990 NBL season due to a blood clot in his right shoulder.[8]

Not known for being an outstanding athlete, Gaze's heavy scoring in the NBL was due to exceptional shooting, including from three-point range. A crowd favourite to the Tigers faithful, Gaze was a front runner in the league's resurgence during the 1990s, as he and American import Lanard Copeland combined to form a formidable backcourt and guided the Tigers to two championships in 1993 and 1997.[9] Playing under his father with the Tigers, Gaze assured the team were perpetual finalists.

In his later years, Gaze still managed to score at a high clip for the Tigers, averaging over 19 points per game in each of his last four NBL seasons. Following the 2004–05 NBL season, Gaze announced his retirement from the NBL. In 20 seasons with the Tigers, he played a total of 612 games and recorded 18,908 points at an average of 30.9 points per game.[5]

Europe and NBA

In addition to playing in the NBL, Gaze spent multiple seasons overseas during the 1990s. In 1991, Gaze became the first Australian to play professionally in Europe, with Italian 2nd League club Udine. In a six-month stint in Italy, he averaged over 30 points per game.[10] Despite his best efforts, the team finished the league last and was relegated to the 3rd division. In March 1994, Gaze returned to the United States and signed with the NBA's Washington Bullets. In seven games for the Bullets during the 1993–94 NBA season, he averaged 3.1 points per game. In early 1995, he moved to Greece and played half a season for Greek League club Apollon Patras.[11] He had another short stint in the NBA during the lockout-shortened 1998–99 season, this time with the San Antonio Spurs. He received very little court time for a stacked Spurs team that included guards Mario Elie, Avery Johnson, Antonio Daniels and Steve Kerr. He appeared in just 19 games for the Spurs during the regular season and was inactive for the entire playoff run, which saw the Spurs win their first NBA championship.[12]

National team

On the international stage, Gaze forged his reputation as one of Australia's finest products, appearing at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games, as a 19-year-old. He led all scorers at the 1994 FIBA World Championship with 23.9 points per game, leading the Aussies to a fifth-place finish. In 2000, he became (jointly with American Teresa Edwards) the third basketball player to compete at five Olympics,[13] after Puerto Rican Teófilo Cruz and Brazilian Oscar Schmidt. That year, Gaze was the flag bearer at the opening ceremony of the Sydney Olympics, and he was also the Australian Team Captain. At the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, he led the Boomers to their best Olympic performance, a fourth-placed finish, with a 5–3 record.[14]

Gaze also competed in four FIBA World Cups with the Boomers, as he played in more than 280 matches for Australia. Gaze is the second all-time career points scorer, behind only Brazil's Oscar Schmidt, in Summer Olympic Games history, and he is third all-time in career points scored in FIBA World Cup history, after Schmidt and Argentina's Luis Scola.

Coaching career

On 8 December 2015, Gaze was appointed head coach of the Melbourne Tigers SEABL team for the 2016 season.[15][16] Gaze's cousin, Mark,[17] was appointed the Tigers' assistant coach.

On 2 April 2016, Gaze was appointed head coach of the Sydney Kings on a three-year deal, joining a revitalised franchise with a new general manager, a new owner and new home venue.[18]

In June 2017, Gaze joined the Indiana Pacers as a member of their coaching staff for the Orlando Summer League.[19]

In February 2018, the Kings confirmed Gaze as their head coach for the 2018–19 season.[20] On 19 February 2019, it was announced that Gaze would step down as coach of the Kings at the conclusion of the team's finals campaign.[21]

Off the court

After retiring from playing professionally, Gaze became a media personality and began commentating NBL games for Network Ten and Fox Sports. He is also a presenter on Channel Seven's Guide to the Good Life and on Bounce on Fox Footy. In 2006, he appeared in season five of Dancing with the Stars.[22]

In March 2016, Gaze became an ambassador for the non-for-profit organisation The Beehive Foundation, a charity that runs free programs to develop resilience and coping mechanisms for youth via junior sporting organisations.[23][24]

Gaze and his wife Melinda have four children; Courtney, Phoebe, Annie and Mason. In 2014, he was named Australian Father of the Year by children's charity The Shepherd Centre.[25]

Between 2005 and 2010, the Gaze shoe brand sold over 500,000 pairs.[26]

Records, honours and awards

• Record for most Summer Olympic Games for an Australian basketball player (5 – 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996 and 2000)
• Flag bearer at the opening ceremony of the 2000 Sydney Olympics and the Australian Team Captain
• Inducted into the Australian Basketball Hall of Fame (2004), Sport Australia Hall of Fame (2005), and FIBA Hall of Fame (2013)
• Was made a Member of the Order of Australia in 2002[3]
• NBL all-time:[27][28]
  • 1st in Points – 18,908
  • 1st in Assists – 3,531
  • 1st in Field Goals Made – 6,484
  • 1st in 3-Pointers Made – 1,826
  • 1st in Free Throws Made – 4,114
  • 2nd in Games Played – 612
  • 3rd in Steals – 1,075
• NBL's highest single-season points per game average (44.1) (1987)
• 8× NBL three-point field goal leader (1988, 1989, 1992, 1993, 1996–1999)
• 10× NBL free-throw percentage leader (1990, 1992, 1994–1996, 1999, 2001–2004)
• NBA champion (1999)
• 2× NBL champion (1993, 1997)
• 7× NBL MVP (1991, 1992, 1994–1998)
• 15× All-NBL First Team (1986–2000)
• All-NBL Second Team (2001)
• 14× NBL scoring champion (1986, 1988, 1989, 1991–2001)[29]
• NBL assist champion (1989)
• 11× NBL All-Star (1988–1997, 2004)
• 2× NBL All-Star Game MVP (1989, 1992)
• NBL Rookie of the Year (1984)
• 8× NBL Most Efficient Player (1990–1997)
• 6× Gaze Medalist (1990, 1994–1996, 1998, 2000)
• FIBA's 50 Greatest Players (1991)
• Australian Basketball Hall of Fame (2004)
• Sport Australia Hall of Fame (2005)
• Was named a member of the NBL's 20th, 25th and 40th anniversary teams[30]

Honour roll

NBL career:	1984–2005
NBL Championships:	2× (1993, 1997)
NBL Grand Final appearances:	4× (1992, 1993, 1996, 1997)
NBL Most Valuable Player:	7× (1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998)
All-NBL First Team:	15× (1986–2000)
NBL Rookie of the Year:	1984
Gaze Medal:	6× (1990, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2000)
Australian Basketball Hall of Fame:	2004
Sport Australia Hall of Fame:	2005
FIBA Hall of Fame:	2013

Career statistics

NBL

†	NBL Championship

Year	Team	G	GS	MIN	PTS	AVG.	FG	FGA	PCT.	3–FG	3–FGA	PCT.	FT	FTA	PCT.	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF
1984	Melbourne Tigers	24	24	0.00	699	29.1	11.7	18.6	.576	0.5	1.6	.325	5.1	7.2	.724	6.7	4.1	1.6	0.3	2.3	3.8
1985	Melbourne Tigers	18	18	0.00	547	30.4	11.8	23.2	.51	2.0	6.1	.336	4.6	6.4	.709	6.7	4.4	2.1	0.3	4.9	3.9
1986	Melbourne Tigers	25	25	0.00	922	36.9	13.8	26.1	.529	2.1	5.5	.381	7.08	8.8	.805	7.3	4.4	2.1	0.2	4.0	3.4
1987	Melbourne Tigers	20	20	47.7	882	44.1	15.9	30.2	.526	3.4	8.6	.393	8.9	11	.809	8.2	5.8	2.5	0.1	4.8	3.3
1988	Melbourne Tigers	24	24	46.8	886	36.9	13.5	26.3	.523	4.1	9.5	.432	5.7	7.2	.792	6.3	4.7	2.3	0.6	3.7	3.0
1989	Melbourne Tigers	27	27	45.7	931	34.5	12.4	23	.539	3.8	9.7	.401	5.7	6.9	.834	5.3	7.2	2.4	0.8	4.2	3.9
1990	Melbourne Tigers	22	22	0.00	828	37.6	13.6	23.7	.575	3.5	9.0	.385	6.8	7.8	.873	4.8	6.9	2.6	0.3	4.0	3.2
1991	Melbourne Tigers	28	28	46.4	1086	38.8	13.5	24.3	.554	3.1	9.3	.333	8.6	9.9	.871	4.4	6.0	2.7	0.4	4.5	3.8
1992	Melbourne Tigers	32	32	46.1	1082	33.8	11.2	22.1	.508	2.9	8.8	.331	8.3	9.6	.865	4.6	6.3	2.7	0.3	5.0	3.4
1993 †	Melbourne Tigers	33	33	45.8	1056	32.0	10.6	20.8	.511	3.1	8.0	.391	7.5	8.7	.858	4.6	6.3	2.7	0.3	5.0	3.4
1994	Melbourne Tigers	30	30	47	1001	33.4	10.9	21.2	.515	2.5	7.1	.321	9.2	10.1	.905	4.8	7.2	2.4	0.2	5.7	3.3
1995	Melbourne Tigers	29	29	46.8	983	33.9	11.3	22	.513	3.1	8.5	.361	8.1	9.1	.898	4.2	8.0	2.3	0.5	4.5	3.3
1996	Melbourne Tigers	35	35	46.6	1089	31.1	10	19.8	.506	3.1	8.7	.358	7.9	8.7	.905	5.3	8.1	1.7	0.5	4.7	3.1
1997 †	Melbourne Tigers	35	35	47.9	1080	30.9	10.4	20.1	.520	4.0	10.4	.390	5.8	6.7	.857	4.6	6.7	1.4	0.4	4.5	3.5
1998	Melbourne Tigers	32	32	47.5	1007	31.5	10.6	21.3	.497	3.9	10.5	.375	6.2	7.0	.893	4.6	6.5	1.4	0.2	3.7	3.0
1998–99	Melbourne Tigers	17	17	47.6	569	30.9	11.4	21.3	.534	4.4	11.1	.421	5.9	6.6	.893	4.6	5.5	2.2	0.1	3.6	2.4
1999–2000	Melbourne Tigers	31	31	47.2	904	30.9	9.5	19.6	.488	3.0	9.0	.344	6.9	7.8	.881	5.7	6.5	1.5	0.2	3.7	3.0
2000–01	Melbourne Tigers	28	28	46.4	816	29.1	9.4	18.5	.508	3.0	8.6	.357	7.2	7.8	.914	6.3	5.8	0.9	0.2	4.8	3.9
2001–02	Melbourne Tigers	24	24	36.6	458	19.1	6	13.1	.457	1.6	6.2	.265	5.4	6.1	.884	4.0	5.0	0.7	0.5	3.3	2.9
2002–03	Melbourne Tigers	29	29	42.1	640	22.1	6.6	14.2	.469	2.5	7.9	.346	6.0	6.7	.893	4.0	4.7	1.1	0.5	4.2	3.6
2003–04	Melbourne Tigers	35	35	38.8	746	21.3	7	13.6	.514	2.5	6.9	.364	4.7	5.2	.902	3.3	3.5	0.9	0.4	2.8	2.8
2004–05	Melbourne Tigers	34	34	35.1	696	22.1	6.6	13.6	.484	2.3	6.8	.348	4.8	5.8	.829	3.1	3.1	0.8	0.3	2.4	2.4
Career		612	612	38.7	18.908	30.9	10.5	20.4	51.8	3.0	8.1	.365	6.7	7.8	.860	5.1	5.8	1.8	0.4	4.1	3.3

NBA

†	NBA Championship

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
1993–94	Washington	7	0	10.0	.471	.500	1.000	1.0	.7	.3	.1	3.1
1998–99†	San Antonio	19	0	3.1	.320	.313	.000	.3	.3	.1	.1	1.1
Career		26	0	4.9	.381	.375	1.000	.5	.4	.2	.1	1.7

College

Year	Team	G	GS	MIN	PTS	AVG.	FG	FGA	PCT.	3–FG	3–FGA	PCT.	FT	FTA	PCT.	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF
1988–89	Seton Hall	38	37	32.6	516	13.6	5.5	8.8	.509	2.5	5.8	.425	2.2	3.0	.726	4.5	2.8	2.9	2.1	0.4	1.3

Bibliography

Contributor

• Gaze, Andrew (2007). "Contributor". Laugh Even Louder!. By Camp Quality. Gosford, New South Wales: Scholastic Australia Pty Limited. ISBN 978-1-74169-022-4.[31]

References

1. Scanlan, Alex (25 August 2015). "He set records galore in the NBL but has Andrew Gaze been usurped as our best ever basketballer?". FoxSports.com. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
2. "Q & A WITH ANDREW GAZE". NBL.com.au. 7 April 2016. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
3. ANDREW GAZE INDUCTED INTO FIBA HALL OF FAME
4. Basketball legend ANDREW GAZE inducted into FIBA Hall Of Fame
5. Player statistics for Andrew Gaze
6. Andrew Gaze College Stats
7. Gaze Is Gone But Questions Arise
8. THE SIDELINES : Clot Hospitalizes Andrew Gaze
9. Andrew Gaze and Lanard Copeland
10. Andrew Gaze – Music Theatre Australia
11. Andrew Gaze playing in Greece
12. Andrew Gaze NBA Stats
13. Australian Olympic Committee: Andrew Gaze
14. Andrew Gaze Olympic Stats
15. ANDREW GAZE ANNOUNCED AS MELBOURNE TIGERS HEAD COACH
16. Andrew Gaze to coach Melbourne Tigers in SEABL but NBL dreams remain
17. Australian basketballers making big impression in US college system
18. SYDNEY KINGS ANNOUNCE ANDREW GAZE AS NEW HEAD COACH
19. GAZE JOINS INDIANA PACERS
20. Sydney Kings confirm Andrew Gaze as head coach for 2018-19 NBL season
21. Andrew Gaze To Step Down As Sydney Kings Coach After NBL19 Finals
22. Gaze bounces out of show
23. "Ambassadors". BeehiveFoundation.org.au. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
24. "We are extremely excited to announce that Basketball Legend and media..." Facebook.com. 22 March 2016. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
25. Basketball legend Andrew Gaze named 2014 Australian Father of the Year
26. Gaze.com.au
27. "#NBLRANK THE GREATEST PLAYERS OF ALL TIME – SHOOTING GUARD". aussiehoopla.com. 15 September 2016. Retrieved 5 November 2018.
28. "NBL ALL-TIME STATISTICS". aussiehoopla.com. Retrieved 25 November 2017.
29. "All Time Leaders". NBL.com.au. Archived from the original on 23 September 2017.
30. Ward, Roy (8 February 2018). "Andrew Gaze, Mark Bradtke head NBL 40th anniversary team". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 17 August 2018.
31. Camp Quality (2007). Laugh Even Louder!. Gosford, New South Wales: Scholastic Australia Pty Limited. p. 12. ISBN 978-1-74169-022-4.

External links

• Andrew Gaze at archive.fiba.com
• Andrew Gaze at basketball.net.au
• Andrew Gaze at foxsportspulse.com
• Andrew Gaze at interbasket.net
• Andrew Gaze at legabasket.it (in Italian)
• Andrew Gaze at nbl.com.au