Considered Australia’s greatest ever basketball player and named one of the 50 greatest players of all time by the international basketball body FIBA, Andrew Gaze was pre-destined for a career on the court.
Born in July 1965, the son of Australian legendary basketball player and coach Lindsay Gaze, he had a promising schoolboy career and was named the NBL Rookie of the Year in 1984, the same year he played in his first Olympics.
Gaze completed in five Olympics and led the Boomers to their best ever performance of fourth in the 1996 Atlanta Games. He was honoured as the flag bearer for the Sydney 2000 Games.
The League’s top scorer for 14 seasons, over 16 seasons he scored more than 16,000 points and was named the most valuable player a record seven times. He played in four world championships, and is regarded as the second best scorer in international basketball after the great Brazilian Oscar Schmidt.
A tireless charity worker, Gaze’s favourite concerns are Challenge Cancer and Ronald McDonald House.
In 2002, Gaze was awarded an AM for his massive contribution to sport in this country.
This person has made the short list for the title National Living Treasure, this title is conferred when someone accomplishes an outstanding achievement, swelling the country’s consciousness with admiration, pride and acknowledgement... be they scientists or sports stars; actors, artists or Indigenous activists; politicians, philanthropists or explorers, The National Trust’s 2012 nominees are a true cross section of our country’s finest.
Click here to see the full nomination list and vote for your favourite.
