Head Coach: Joey Wright
Profile:
Joey Wright was born in Alton, Illinois and played with the Drake Bulldogs basketball squad during the 1986-87 NCAA season.
Wright transferred after his freshman year to the University of Texas for a chance to play with the school's prestigious Longhorns basketball team and, after sitting out in 1987-88, Wright was selected as the Longhorn's point guard from 1988 through 1991.
Wright spent the spring of 1991 at the Chicago NBA tryout camp. However he ended up being selected in the second round as the 50th pick of the NBA Draft by the Phoenix Suns.
Joey Wright was released by the Suns prior to the 1991-92 NBA season.
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 Australian NBL.
He was appointed as the Brisbane Bullets' head coach midway through the 2002/2003 season and remained until the team ceased to exist in season 2008/09.
During his time with the Bullets Wright led the team to great heights, including a 16-win improvement in the 2003/2004 season, successive finals appearances and a stellar 2006/2007 season featuring a minor premiership.
He also boasts a 21 NBL game winning streak.
Joey was awarded the NBL Coach of the Year Award in 2004 and 2007
Assistant Coach: Ron Radliff
Profile:
One of the most popular players in the NBL during his playing career, Ron ‘The Rat’ Radliff brings years of elite playing and coaching experience to the Blaze.
Originally from Seattle in the United States, Radliff came to Australia in 1983 to play with the Brisbane Bullets. He moved to the Gold Coast Cougars in 1990, where he later played under head coach Dave Claxton. During a ten season NBL career, Radliff was one of the league’s premier guards. His career 3-point shooting percentage of 44% still ranks him amongst the elite players of all time in this country.
Radliff finished his playing career in 1992, and immediately sought a coaching position with the Rollers. Radliff remained with Claxton as Assistant Coach of the Rollers until the end of the 1995 season.
Radliff’s NBL coaching career continued in 2002-2003 when he was brought on as Assistant Coach to Joey Wright with the Brisbane Bullets. Radliff continued in this position with great success, including winning the 2007 NBL Championship.
Radliff reunited with Wright at the Blaze when he was announced as the Blaze’s Assistant Coach for Season 2009/2010.
Assistant Coach: Mick Conlon
Profile:
Mick is one of Queensland's best young coaching prospects, with a resume filled with assisting some of most well known coaches in the country.
Born and raised on the Gold Coast, Mick has been the Assistant Coach of the Brisbane Spartans Southeast Australian Basketball League program since 2006. The Spartans are one of the powerhouses in ABA basketball nationally, with legendary Head Coach Bruce Palmer at the helm for all of those years.
Since Mick joined the Spartans, they have won the QABL competition once, and have had 3 top four finishes in the SEABL competition including Runners Up (and East Conference Champions) in 2009.
Mick has also been Assistant Coach for the Queensland State U/20 Team for the past two seasons, culminating in a National Championship at the 2009 Tournament.
Mick's pedigree of developing young talent and working alongside some of the best coaches in Australia makes him a valuable addition to the coaching staff for Season 2009/10 and beyond.