The National Basketball League Coach of the Year is an annual National Basketball League (NBL) award given since the 1980 NBL season to the best head coach of the regular season. As of the 2023–24 season, the head coach, assistant coach and captain of each team vote for the Coach of the Year. Voters are not allowed to vote for the coach of their own team. The winner receives the Lindsay Gaze Trophy, which is named in honour of legendary NBL coach and Basketball Hall of Famer Lindsay Gaze.
In 2015–16, Townsville Crocodiles head coach Shawn Dennis became the first coach in NBL history to be named Coach of the Year with the combination of a losing record and without qualifying for the Finals. Adrian Hurley (2005) is the only other recipient with a losing record – honoured after leading the Hunter Pirates to the Finals with a 15–17 record – while Robbie Cadee (1983) is the only other recipient to have missed the Finals – honoured after leading the Bankstown Bruins to a seventh-placed finish with a 12–10 record.
Winners Year Player Nationality Team 1980 Barry Barnes Nunawading Spectres 1981 Bob Turner Newcastle Falcons 1982 Cal Bruton Geelong Cats 1983 Robbie Cadee Bankstown Bruins 1984 Brian Kerle Brisbane Bullets 1985 Bob Turner (2) Canberra Cannons 1986 Ken Cole Adelaide 36ers 1987 David Lindstrom Illawarra Hawks 1988 Bruce Palmer North Melbourne Giants 1989 Lindsay Gaze Melbourne Tigers 1990 Brian Kerle (2) Brisbane Bullets 1991 Murray Arnold Perth Wildcats 1992 Brian Goorjian South East Melbourne Magic 1993 Alan Black Illawarra Hawks 1994 Brett Brown North Melbourne Giants 1995 Alan Black (2)Thomas Wisman Illawarra HawksNewcastle Falcons 1996 Brett Flanigan Canberra Cannons 1997 Lindsay Gaze (2)Brian Goorjian (2) Melbourne TigersSouth East Melbourne Magic 1998 Brian Goorjian (3) South East Melbourne Magic 1998–99 Lindsay Gaze (3)Brendan Joyce Melbourne TigersWollongong Hawks 1999–2000 Ian Stacker Townsville Crocodiles 2000–01 Brendan Joyce (2) Wollongong Hawks 2001–02 Brian Goorjian (4) Victoria Titans 2002–03 Ian Stacker (2) Townsville Crocodiles 2003–04 Joey Wright Brisbane Bullets 2004–05 Adrian Hurley Hunter Pirates 2005–06 Al Westover Melbourne Tigers 2006–07 Joey Wright (2) Brisbane Bullets 2007–08 Brian Goorjian (5) Sydney Kings 2008–09 Brian Goorjian (6) South Dragons 2009–10 Gordie McLeod Wollongong Hawks 2010–11 Trevor Gleeson Townsville Crocodiles 2011–12 Andrej Lemanis New Zealand Breakers 2012–13 Andrej Lemanis (2) New Zealand Breakers 2013–14 Gordie McLeod (2) Wollongong Hawks 2014–15 Aaron Fearne Cairns Taipans 2015–16 Shawn Dennis Townsville Crocodiles 2016–17 Joey Wright (3) Adelaide 36ers 2017–18 Dean Vickerman Melbourne United 2018–19 Dean Vickerman (2) Melbourne United 2019–20 Mike Kelly Cairns Taipans 2020–21 Trevor Gleeson (2) Perth Wildcats 2021–22 Scott Roth Tasmania JackJumpers 2022–23 Adam Forde Cairns Taipans 2023–24 Dean Vickerman (3) Melbourne United 2024–25 Justin Tatum Illawarra Hawks 2025–26 Brian Goorjian (7) Sydney Kings
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