Joey Wright
Encyclopedia
Joey Wright is a retired American
professional basketball
player and current head coach of the Gold Coast Blaze
.
and enrolled at Drake University
in Des Moines, Iowa
after high school
. He played on the Drake Bulldogs
basketball squad during the 1986-87 NCAA season but received little playing time on the court. Wright transferred after his freshman year to the University of Texas for a chance to play with the school's prestigious Longhorns basketball team
. After sitting out as a redshirt freshman
in 1987-88, Wright was selected as the Longhorn's point guard
from 1988 through 1991. Wright and teammates' Lance Blanks
and Travis Mays
stellar offensive performance dubbed the trio as the "BMW Scoring Machine" during the 1989-90 basketball season. Wright was particularly known for his hustling and effective jump shots that greatly helped contribute to the "Scoring Machine". The Longhorn team won the Southwest Conference tournament that season and advanced to the Elite Eight
in the 1990 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
.
NBA tryout camp, where he showcased a high field goal percentage and averaged nearly ten points a game. He even caught the eye of the Boston Celtics
, who expressed an interest in Joey Wright during the tryouts. However the Celtics eventually passed up on Wright, whose lack in quickness and size were looked down upon. Wright was nonetheless projected to be drafted in either the late 1st or early 2nd round of the 1991 NBA Draft
. Several weeks later he was selected at the tail end of the 2nd round as the 50th pick of the NBA Draft by the Phoenix Suns
. Friends and Longhorn teammates celebrated the announcement at Joey Wright's apartment; but despite all the excitement the former University of Texas basketball star was much concerned with his low draft pick. Joey Wright was released by the Suns prior to the 1991-92 NBA season
. Although Wright played overseas for several years, he never appeared in an NBA game.
midway through the 2002/2003 season; a position which he has upheld to recent years. He is currently the head coach of the Gold Coast Blaze. During this time Wright has led the team to great heights including a 16-win improvement in the following 2003/2004 season, successive finals appearances and a stellar 2006/2007 season featuring a minor premiership, a 21 NBL game winning streak and a championship.
real estate
industry. He operates two businesses at his home in Austin, Texas
but spends his time overseas in Australia as a basketball coach. Wright is married to wife Kim and the two have three children.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player and current head coach of the Gold Coast Blaze
Gold Coast Blaze
The Gold Coast Blaze is an Australian professional basketball team which competes in the National Basketball League . The Blaze competed in their inaugural season in 2007/08. The club is based on the Gold Coast and joins two other NBL clubs competing from Queensland...
.
College career
Joey Wright was born in Alton, IllinoisAlton, Illinois
Alton is a city on the Mississippi River in Madison County, Illinois, United States, about north of St. Louis, Missouri. The population was 27,865 at the 2010 census. It is a part of the Metro-East region of the Greater St. Louis metropolitan area in Southern Illinois...
and enrolled at Drake University
Drake University
Drake University is a private, co-educational university located in Des Moines, Iowa, USA. The institution offers a number of undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as professional programs in law and pharmacy. Today, Drake is one of the twenty-five oldest law schools in the country....
in Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...
after high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
. He played on the Drake Bulldogs
Drake Bulldogs men's basketball
The Drake Bulldogs men's basketball team represents Drake University, located in Des Moines, Iowa, in NCAA Division I basketball competition.The team's current coach is Mark Phelps, previously an assistant at Arizona State, who was hired after the 2007-08 season...
basketball squad during the 1986-87 NCAA season but received little playing time on the court. Wright transferred after his freshman year to the University of Texas for a chance to play with the school's prestigious Longhorns basketball team
Texas Longhorns men's basketball
The Texas Longhorns men's basketball team represents The University of Texas at Austin in NCAA Division I men's basketball competition. The Longhorns currently compete in the Big 12 Conference....
. After sitting out as a redshirt freshman
Redshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
in 1987-88, Wright was selected as the Longhorn's point guard
Point guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
from 1988 through 1991. Wright and teammates' Lance Blanks
Lance Blanks
Lance Blanks is a retired American professional basketball player who was selected by the Detroit Pistons in the first round of the 1990 NBA Draft. A guard, Blanks played for the Pistons and Minnesota Timberwolves in 3 NBA seasons, averaging 2.0 ppg...
and Travis Mays
Travis Mays
Travis Cortez Mays is an American former professional basketball player who was selected by the Sacramento Kings in the 1st round of the 1990 NBA Draft....
stellar offensive performance dubbed the trio as the "BMW Scoring Machine" during the 1989-90 basketball season. Wright was particularly known for his hustling and effective jump shots that greatly helped contribute to the "Scoring Machine". The Longhorn team won the Southwest Conference tournament that season and advanced to the Elite Eight
Elite Eight
The term Elite Eight, or less commonly called "Great Eight", refers to the final eight teams in the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship or the NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship; and, thus, represents the national quarterfinals. In Division I, the Elite Eight consists of the...
in the 1990 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
1990 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1990 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 15, 1990, and ended with the championship game on April 2 in Denver, Colorado...
.
Professional basketball career
Wright spent the spring of 1991 at the ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
NBA tryout camp, where he showcased a high field goal percentage and averaged nearly ten points a game. He even caught the eye of the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
, who expressed an interest in Joey Wright during the tryouts. However the Celtics eventually passed up on Wright, whose lack in quickness and size were looked down upon. Wright was nonetheless projected to be drafted in either the late 1st or early 2nd round of the 1991 NBA Draft
1991 NBA Draft
The 1991 NBA Draft took place on June 26, 1991 in New York City, New York. Dikembe Mutombo is regarded as the best overall pick in this draft, becoming one of the greatest defensive centers in the history of the league. He was a four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year award winner and an eight...
. Several weeks later he was selected at the tail end of the 2nd round as the 50th pick of the NBA Draft by the Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
. Friends and Longhorn teammates celebrated the announcement at Joey Wright's apartment; but despite all the excitement the former University of Texas basketball star was much concerned with his low draft pick. Joey Wright was released by the Suns prior to the 1991-92 NBA season
1991-92 NBA season
-Statistics leaders:-NBA awards:*Most Valuable Player: Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls*Rookie of the Year: Larry Johnson, Charlotte Hornets*Defensive Player of the Year: David Robinson, San Antonio Spurs...
. Although Wright played overseas for several years, he never appeared in an NBA game.
Coaching career
Drawing upon previous coaching experience with the Austin Cyclones in the Southwest Basketball League (USA) as well as other US teams, Wright sought a coaching contract in the NBL. He was appointed as the Brisbane Bullets' head coachHead coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
midway through the 2002/2003 season; a position which he has upheld to recent years. He is currently the head coach of the Gold Coast Blaze. During this time Wright has led the team to great heights including a 16-win improvement in the following 2003/2004 season, successive finals appearances and a stellar 2006/2007 season featuring a minor premiership, a 21 NBL game winning streak and a championship.
Personal life
Joey Wright later pursued a career outside of sports in the TexasTexas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
real estate
Real estate
In general use, esp. North American, 'real estate' is taken to mean "Property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals, or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this; an item of real property; buildings or...
industry. He operates two businesses at his home in Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
but spends his time overseas in Australia as a basketball coach. Wright is married to wife Kim and the two have three children.