In honour of the record SEVEN Aussies kicking off the NBA playoffs this weekend, 24 years ago, Big Lucien ‘Luc’ Longley was the FIRST Aussie to ever play in the playoffs, as his Chicago Bulls took on Mark Price — Cleveland’s original, much smaller, LeBron — and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Big Luc had a night rougher than the guts of a Gundagai goanna, coming off the bench behind Bill Cartwright and finishing with a hard-fought 6 points — going a PERFECT 3-for-3 from the field — to go with 1 rebound and 3 assists in his 11 minutes.
Somehow the poor bugger also got slugged with 4 fouls from the anti-Strayan refs. 4 fouls! In 11 minutes! C’mon ref, pull the other one. It plays Alex Lloyd’s ‘Amazing’.
Phil Jackson quickly realised his mistake, however, and he started the big fella next game. And Big Lucien never looked back, going on to win three titles basically by himself and setting a ‘Strayan NBA legacy being carried by Big Ben Simmons, Delly, Patty Thrills and co. to this very day!
#ONYA Big Luc!