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Years ago
Matt Nielsen appointed Wildcats assistant coach
Just got this in my email
Matt Nielsen appointed assistant coach
The Perth Wildcats has appointed former Australian Boomers Olympic captain Matt Nielsen as its lead assistant coach.
Nielsen is returning to Australia after a year with the San Antonia Spurs coaching staff, where he was most recently a part of the team's NBA Summer League Championship-winning campaign.
He’s thrilled to be heading home to join Trevor Gleeson at the helm of the Perth Wildcats.
"I’m really thankful for the opportunity, I’m excited," he said.
“What I did with the Spurs over the last 12 months gave me a taste and told me coaching is exactly what I want to do, and I’m excited to be here and get my hands dirty and get into it.
“I think I’ll be able to help the players with the experience I’ve had in my playing career. I still feel fresh enough to know what they’ll be going through during the ups and downs of a season. I think that will be one of my strengths.”
Nielsen is a proven leader and Champion, with one of the most decorated playing careers of any Australian basketballer.
The 37-year-old first represented Australia in 1998 and went on to play for the Boomers at the 2004, 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games - captaining the team in Beijing and London.
At club level, Nielsen spent eight years with the Sydney Kings where he was a two-time Championship player.
He also spent nine years in Europe, playing in in Russia, Spain, Greece and Lithuania, winning European Championships with Valencia and Khimky.
He began his coaching career with the Wildcats during their 2013/14 Championship-winning season, helping out Wildcats coaching staff as a specialist big man coach – working closely with Matt Knight and Tom Jervis.
After that he joined the San Antonio Spurs coaching staff in the NBA in a player development role.
Perth Wildcats head coach Trevor Gleeson is an assistant coach with the Australian Boomers, and is away from Perth for the FIBA Oceania Championships – meaning he’ll miss the first weeks of Wildcats pre-season practice.
He said it’s important to have a lead assistant coach he can trust while he’s away.
“With everything Matt achieved in his playing and coaching career so far, Matt has a lot of respect among the playing group, as well as the rest of our coaching staff,” said Gleeson.
“He’s worked with most of the players before in the 2013/14 season and I’m comfortable knowing the team is in very capable hands in my absence.
“He’s got a great basketball brain and I’m looking forward to working with him upon my return.”
The Perth Wildcats coaching staff is now complete.
Nielsen becomes Trevor Gleeson’s lead assistant coach, above assistant coaches Adam Forde and Jamie O’Loughlin.
Josh Cavanagh remains the team’s strength and conditioning coach with Brett Havercroft as team manager.
Pre-season training officially commences on Monday.
