Lemanis unsure on Boomers future

Incoming Brisbane Bullets coach Andrej Lemanis says he isn't sure if he'll stay on as Boomers coach beyond next year's Olympics.

Andrej Lemanis.

Andrej Lemanis will be unveiled as the new coach of NBL side Brisbane Bullets later on Tuesday. (AAP)

Andrej Lemanis says he's unsure if he will stay on as Australian Boomers coach when the Brisbane Bullets re-enter the National Basketball League next year.

Lemanis, 46, was unveiled on Tuesday as Brisbane's head coach for their long-awaited return to the national competition in 2016-17.

It's a major coup for the Bullets but the three-time NBL championship-winning coach and two-time coach of the year told reporters it's yet to be determined if he'll stay on with the Boomers beyond that point.

"That's still to be worked through with Basketball Australia and the Brisbane Bullets," said Lemanis, whose contract with the national team expires after next year's Olympic Games in Rio.

"The qualification system for the World Cup changes after the 2016 Rio Olympics, we go into an Asia/Oceania zone, and Basketball Australia is still working through exactly what that's going to look like in terms of the national coaching position.

"We'll just see how that plays out."

Lemanis said he was thrilled to be joining the Bullets and excited by the challenge of building a brand new roster from scratch.

"It's the first time I haven't inherited a team. That'll be a new experience for me," he said.

"It's a tremendous opportunity and tremendous honour to be involved with an organisation like the Bullets - iconic, has a fantastic legacy here in Brisbane, and exciting after seven years we've got the opportunity to reignite the flame.

"I know just through my involvement with Basketball Australia there's a massive groundswell of support for basketball ... you don't have enough courts, people are always crying out for other areas to play basketball, and now the opportunity to put the Bullets back in on top of that, it's exciting."

The move reunites Lemanis with his former star point guard at the New Zealand Breakers, CJ Bruton.

Lemanis coached the Breakers from 2005 to 2013, in that time guiding them to an historic NBL three-peat.

Bruton, now the Bullets' basketball operations manager, said he was "over the moon" to be joining forces with Lemanis once again.

"He brings a lot of excitement," he said.

"He's experienced in a lot of areas that will make this franchise very proud.

"I learn off every coach I've been a part of and along his journey I think we've both helped each other.

"Now doing it in a different capacity, both being on the bench, will be special for me."


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Source: AAP



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