NBL Coach of the Year Award


The National Basketball League Coach of the Year is an annual National Basketball League award given since the 1980 NBL season to the best head coach of the regular season. At the season's end, each club's Head Coach, one Assistant Coach and the Team Captain vote on the Coach of the Year in a 3-2-1 format. Voters are not allowed to vote for the coach of their own team. The winner receives the Lindsay Gaze Trophy, which is named in honour of legendary NBL coach and Basketball Hall of Famer Lindsay Gaze, who guided the Melbourne Tigers to two NBL Championships over a long and celebrated career.
In 2015–16, Townsville Crocodiles head coach Shawn Dennis became the first coach in NBL history to be named Coach of the Year with the combination of a losing record and without qualifying for the Finals. Dr. Adrian Hurley is the only other recipient with a losing record – honoured after leading the Hunter Pirates to the Finals with a 15–17 record – while Robbie Cadee is the only other recipient to have missed the Finals – honoured after leading the Bankstown Bruins to a seventh-placed finish with a 12–10 record.

Winners

YearPlayerTeam
1980Barry BarnesNunawading Spectres
1981Bob TurnerNewcastle Falcons
1982Cal BrutonGeelong Cats
1983Robbie CadeeBankstown Bruins
1984Brian KerleBrisbane Bullets
1985Bob Turner Canberra Cannons
1986Ken ColeAdelaide 36ers
1987David LindstromIllawarra Hawks
1988Bruce PalmerNorth Melbourne Giants
1989Lindsay GazeMelbourne Tigers
1990Brian Kerle Brisbane Bullets
1991Murray ArnoldPerth Wildcats
1992Brian GoorjianSouth East Melbourne Magic
1993Alan BlackIllawarra Hawks
1994Brett BrownNorth Melbourne Giants
1995Alan Black
Tom Wiseman		Illawarra Hawks
Newcastle Falcons
1996Brett FlaniganCanberra Cannons
1997Lindsay Gaze
Brian Goorjian 		Melbourne Tigers
South East Melbourne Magic
1998Brian Goorjian South East Melbourne Magic
1998–99Lindsay Gaze
Brendan Joyce		Melbourne Tigers
Wollongong Hawks
1999–2000Ian StackerTownsville Crocodiles
2000–01Brendan Joyce Wollongong Hawks
2001–02Brian Goorjian Victoria Titans
2002–03Ian Stacker Townsville Crocodiles
2003–04Joey WrightBrisbane Bullets
2004–05Adrian HurleyHunter Pirates
2005–06Al WestoverMelbourne Tigers
2006–07Joey Wright Brisbane Bullets
2007–08Brian Goorjian Sydney Kings
2008–09Brian Goorjian South Dragons
2009–10Gordie McLeodWollongong Hawks
2010–11Trevor GleesonTownsville Crocodiles
2011–12Andrej LemanisNew Zealand Breakers
2012–13Andrej Lemanis New Zealand Breakers
2013–14Gordie McLeod Wollongong Hawks
2014–15Aaron FearneCairns Taipans
2015–16Shawn DennisTownsville Crocodiles
2016–17Joey Wright Adelaide 36ers
2017–18Dean VickermanMelbourne United
2018–19Dean Vickerman Melbourne United
2019–20Mike KellyCairns Taipans