Shane Heal | |
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Position | Point guard |
Nickname | Hammer |
Height | 182 cm (6 ft 0 in) |
Weight | 83 kg (183 lb) |
Nationality | Australia |
Born | 6 September 1970 Melbourne, Victoria |
Junior Association | Nunawading |
Debut | 1988 |
Games Played | 394[1] |
Previous Clubs | Brisbane Bullets 1988 Geelong Supercats 1989–1991 Brisbane Bullets 1992–1995 Sydney Kings 1997 Near East BC 1998-2000 Sydney Kings 2000-2002 Andrea Costa Imola 2002 San Antonio Spurs 2003 Makedonikos BC 2003–2004 South Dragons 2006–2008 Gold Coast Blaze 2008–2009 |
Championships | 2003 |
Career Highlights | Played for Minnesota Timberwolves and San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Olympic Squad Member 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004 1988 NBL Rookie of the Year 1990 NBL Most Improved Player 1990 NBL Good Hands Award |
Shane Douglas Heal (born 6 September 1970 in Melbourne, Victoria) is a retired Australia professional basketball player who last played with the Gold Coast Blaze of the National Basketball League, retiring at the end of the 2008/09 season. During his early years as a player, Heal played for the Brisbane Bullets and the Geelong Supercats. His career highlights include representing and captaining the Boomers at a number of Olympics (1992, 1996, 2000 and 2004) and World Championships, brief stints in the NBA with the Minnesota Timberwolves and San Antonio Spurs, and winning the 2002/2003 NBL championship with the Sydney Kings. Heal retired from basketball after his stint at the Kings. He later continued his career, coming out of retirement to play for the newly formed South Dragons initially as a player. This quickly changed after the coaching position became vacant and he was offered the job as the clubs player/coach, which he accepted. He was sacked from his job at the Dragons during his second season at the club, after multiple poor performances. Heal was signed in May 2008 as a player for the recently formed Gold Coast Blaze. Heal retired the second and last time, on February 14, 2009, playing the last of his 440 NBL matches for the Gold Coast Blaze and finished on a winning note, the Blaze completing a three-game winning streak despite an otherwise modest season.
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Source: www.bullets.com.au
Captained inaugural Championship Team
Heal returned to basketball after a short stint out of the game with the Gold Coast Blaze franchise.[2]
On 3 March 2006, it was reported in Melbourne's Herald Sun newspaper that Heal was considering coming out of retirement to captain the South Dragons, a new Melbourne-based NBL franchise to enter the league in the 2006/07 season.[3] He officially signed with the team on April 6 as the Dragons' inaugural captain.[4] On 23 October 2006, Dragons coach Mark Price resigned his position after the Dragons lost their first five NBL championship season games, citing family reasons. Price was replaced by Heal, who was appointed as player and interim coach for the remainder of the season.[5] After multiple successful performances, his contract was extended to the end of the 2008/2009 season. However, on 1 February 2008, Heal was sacked from his job as player/coach at the Dragons after a poor season left the club struggling at the bottom of the table and himself battling fitness issues.[6]
Awards | ||
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Preceded by Greg Hubbard |
NBL Rookie of the Year 1988 |
Succeeded by Justin Withers |
Preceded by Mark Bradtke |
NBL Most Improved Player 1990 |
Succeeded by Andrew Parkinson |
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