OREANA Hume City Broncos coach Lanard Copeland is set to leave the Big V club at the end of the season to reunite with his former Melbourne Tigers team mate Andrew Gaze at the Sydney Kings.
Just days after the National Basketball League club announced that Australia’s greatest ever male player, Gaze, would coach the Kings next season, the club have announced that Copeland will be an assistant coach at the club.
Gaze and Copeland formed a formidable partnership for the Tigers during the 1990s and early 2000s and sit one and two on the Tigers all time games played list.
Copeland who is in his third year at the Broncos, said he looked forward to the opportunity to coach with Gaze.
The Kings finished on the bottom of the ladder in the 2015-16 season winning just six matches.
“I’ve been friends with him [Gaze] for a long time and it’s a challenge we’re looking forward to,” Copeland told the Star Weekly.
“It’s something we can really build up and hopefully be a successful club.”
Copeland said he would coach out the season at the Broncos, who are sitting 2-1 after the first two rounds of the Big V state championship season.
“My role with Sydney starts in early July,” he said.
“I’ll be coming back on weekends to coach the Broncos.”
The Kings are hoping that Copeland’s achievements in 25 years involved in basketball will rub off on the Kings playing roster.
Copeland played with NBA sides Philadelphia 76ers and LA Clippers before forging a career in the NBL. He played 532 NBL games across three clubs.
He will be joined by former New Zealand Breakers coach Dean Vickerman as an assistant coach.
Kings’ managing director, Jeff Van Groningen said the club was ecstatic to sign two of the highest profile names in the NBL.
“They are men who have a proven track record record working with the head coach,” he said.”
The Broadmeadows Basketball Association said they were excited about this opportunity for Lanard and were looking forward to continuing a positive relationship with him as he commences the next phase of his coaching career.
