Watch FIFA World Cup 2026™ LIVE, FREE and EXCLUSIVE

'A whole lot wrong': Gaze offers Turnbull basketball tips after missed shot

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has laughed off a professional's criticism of his basketball efforts, saying most politicians given a ball would miss the shot.

No arc, no leg bend, a whole lot going wrong.

Malcolm Turnbull faces criticism from all quarters but even this was a new one for the prime minister.

Legendary Australian basketballer Andrew Gaze - who now coaches the Sydney Kings - confronted the prime minister on radio to offer some tips after footage of Mr Turnbull flubbing a shot went viral over the weekend.

"To see some of the shooting action that the prime minister had ... there was no arc, there was no leg bend, there was a whole lot going wrong with that particular shot," Gaze told Sydney's Nova FM.

"I just want to offer my services to the great man."

Mr Turnbull conceded he clearly did need a coach.

"The funny thing is everyone says about politicians, 'oh they're so scripted, they're so risk averse, they never try and do anything'.

"The reality is if you give most people a basketball they're going to miss the hoop, right - not you, Andrew, not you," he said, laughing.

"But you give most 62-year-old politicians a basketball and they'll miss the hoop."

Nevertheless, the prime minister said he was always happy to have a go.

Earlier, he told hosts Fitzy and Wippa: "I'm about as good at karaoke as I am at basketball."

A group of Labor and Greens MPs who regularly play basketball at Parliament House in Canberra made light of the prime minister's efforts, posting a video on Twitter of themselves deliberately missing shots.


2 min read

Published

Updated

Source: AAP



Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Follow SBS News

Download our apps

Listen to our podcasts

Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service

Watch now

Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world