Mark Leader

Mark Leader (1960–2023) was an American-Australian basketball player and coach. He played college basketball for Western Oregon University before moving to Australia where he played 12 seasons in the National Basketball League (NBL) between 1983 and 1995. He then continued in Australia as a coach. Leader was a two-time NBL champion as a player and won multiple championships as a coach at the state league level.

Mark Leader
Personal information
Born1960
Idaho, United States
DiedJanuary 2023
NationalityAmerican / Australian
Listed height6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Career information
CollegeWestern Oregon (1980–1982)
NBA draft1982: undrafted
Playing career1983–1995
PositionGuard
Coaching career1996–2016
Career history
As player:
1983–1984Devonport Warriors
1985West Adelaide Bearcats
1986–1987Geelong Supercats
1988–1995North Melbourne Giants
As coach:
1996–1997North Melbourne Giants (assistant)
1997–2000Ballarat Miners
2002–2009Geelong Supercats
2015–2016Corio Bay Stingrays
Career highlights and awards
As player:

As coach:

Early life

Leader was born in Idaho but grew up in Oregon.[1]

College career

Leader attended Western Oregon University between 1980 and 1982. He was the team leader in assists in 1981–82 with 102.[2]

Professional career

Leader moved to Australia in 1982 to play for the Ulverstone Redhoppers in the North West Basketball Union in Tasmania. He made his National Basketball League (NBL) debut with the Devonport Warriors in 1983 and averaged 22.1 points and 10.5 rebounds in his first season. In 1984, he served as the Warriors' player/coach and had his best statistical season, averaging 28.7 points, 14.3 rebounds, 5.7 assists, 2.1 steals and 1.7 blocks.[3]

After the demise of the Warriors,[3] Leader joined the West Adelaide Bearcats in the SA State League and was set to play for the Bearcats NBL team as well but after the team merged with the Adelaide 36ers for the 1985 NBL season, he missed out on a roster spot to Mark Davis.[1]

In 1986 and 1987, Leader played for the Geelong Supercats in the NBL. He averaged 18.8 points and 8.2 rebounds for the Supercats in 1987.[3]

In 1988, Leader joined the North Melbourne Giants and went on to win NBL championships in 1989 and 1994 before retiring following the 1995 season.[3] He was captain of the Giants for their championship in 1994.[4]

Leader was the first player in NBL history to record four triple-doubles.[3]

Coaching career

In 1996 and 1997, Leader served as assistant coach of the North Melbourne Giants under head coach Brett Brown.[1][5]

Between 1997 and 2000, Leader served as head coach of the Ballarat Miners in the South East Australian Basketball League (SEABL).[5]

Leader returned to the SEABL in 2002, as he coached the Geelong Supercats for eight seasons until 2009.[6] He won three SEABL East championships in a row between 2005 and 2007, and in 2006 he guided the Supercats to the ABA National championship.[6]

In 2015 and 2016, Leader coached the Corio Bay Stingrays in the Big V,[7][8] winning a championship in 2015.[9]

Personal life

Leader became a naturalised Australian in 1987.[1]

Death

Leader died of cancer in January 2023.[3][10]

References
  1. "MARK LEADER (NORTH MELBOURNE GIANTS) ON THE 1989 AND 1994 NBL CHAMPIONSHIPS". aussiehoopla.com. 11 April 2021. Archived from the original on 18 January 2023. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  2. "WOU MEN'S BASKETBALL 2011-12 Media Guide" (PDF). wouwolves.com. Archived (PDF) from the original on 17 January 2023.
  3. "Honouring NBL Legend Mark Leader". NBL.com.au. 17 January 2023. Archived from the original on 17 January 2023.
  4. "Leader was the first player in NBL history to record four..." twitter.com/NBL. 17 January 2023. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  5. "Mark Leader". australiabasket.com. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  6. "HONOUR BOARDS". supercats.com.au. Archived from the original on 17 January 2023.
  7. Oats, Alex (10 October 2014). "Corio Bay Stingrays sign Mark Leader as new head coach". GeelongAdvertiser.com.au. Archived from the original on 11 January 2023. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  8. "Big V basketball: Stingrays in no rush to re-sign coach Tim O'Leary". GeelongAdvertiser.com.au. 23 June 2017. Retrieved 17 January 2023. O'Leary filled the void left by Mark Leader at last season's end...
  9. Cairns, David (22 August 2015). "Corio Bay Stingrays clinch 2015 Big V championship". GeelongAdvertiser.com.au. Archived from the original on 17 January 2023.
  10. "Launceston Casino City's long lost NBL championship flag to finally be unveiled". TheMercury.com.au. 18 January 2023. Retrieved 9 October 2023. ...Mark Leader, who lost his battle with cancer this week. American-born Leader started playing with the Ulverstone Redhoppers in 1982...
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