Luke Martin

Luke Martin (born 22 January 1981) is an Australian former professional basketball player who spent the majority of his career playing in the National Basketball League (NBL). In 2004 and 2005, he represented the Australian national team.[1]

Luke Martin
Personal information
Born (1981-01-22) 22 January 1981
Sydney, New South Wales
NationalityAustralian
Listed height181 cm (5 ft 11 in)
Listed weight82 kg (181 lb)
Career information
High schoolSt. John's (Washington, D.C.)
CollegeUTEP (2001–2002)
Playing career2002–2015
PositionPoint guard
Career history
2002–2003West Sydney Razorbacks
2003–2006Sydney Kings
2004Manawatu Jets
2005–2007Waikato Titans/Pistons
2006–2007Cairns Taipans
2007–2008South Dragons
2008–2009Wellington Saints
2008–2009Sydney Spirit
2009Parramatta Wildcats
2010Wollongong Hawks
2010Southland Sharks
2010–2013Sydney Kings
2011Auckland Pirates
2013–2014Southland Sharks
2015Perth Wildcats
2015Brisbane Spartans
Career highlights and awards

Early life

Born and raised in Sydney to a Kiwi father and an Australian mother, Martin moved to the United States in 1998, where he attended St. John's College High School in Washington, D.C.[2] before playing one season of college basketball for the UTEP Miners in 2001–02. In 23 games for the Miners, he averaged 2.9 points and 1.6 assists per game.[3]

Professional career

ANBL

Martin returned to Australia in 2002 and joined the West Sydney Razorbacks for the 2002–03 season. After just one season with the Razorbacks, he moved across town and joined the Sydney Kings. He went on to win two championships with the Kings in his first two seasons before injury struck him down for the 2005–06 season. He missed much of the season with a broken foot he suffered while playing for the Australian Boomers in a tour to China.[4] Martin joined the Cairns Taipans for the 2006–07 season before moving to Melbourne and signing with the South Dragons for the 2007–08 season.[5] Martin then moved back to Sydney and signed with the Sydney Spirit for the 2008–09 season.

In January 2010, Martin signed with the Wollongong Hawks, where he spent the rest of the 2009–10 season as an injury replacement for Tywain McKee.[6][7]

For their return season to the NBL, Martin joined the resurrected Sydney Kings for the 2010–11 season.[8] He spent three seasons with the Kings.

On 16 January 2015, Martin signed with the Perth Wildcats as an injury replacement for Earnest Ross.[9] On 7 March 2015, he was released by the Wildcats following the club's lacklustre season and a subsequent overhaul of personnel.[10][11]

NZNBL

Martin began playing in the New Zealand National Basketball League in 2004 for the Manawatu Jets. He then played three seasons for the Waikato Titans/Pistons from 2005 to 2007, before playing two seasons for the Wellington Saints in 2008 and 2009. Following the 2009 NZNBL season, he joined the Parramatta Wildcats and helped the team win the Waratah League Championship while earning Grand Final MVP honours.[12]

In December 2009, Martin signed with the newly-established Southland Sharks for the 2010 season.[13] After one season with the Sharks, he joined the Auckland Pirates for the 2011 season.

After not playing in New Zealand in 2012, Martin returned to the Southland Sharks for the 2013 season.[14][15] In December 2013, he re-signed with the Sharks for the 2014 season.[16]

SEABL

In March 2015, Martin joined the Brisbane Spartans for the 2015 SEABL season.[17] Due to the Lindt cafe incident, Martin was stood down by the Spartans.[18] In 10 games for Brisbane, he averaged 8.4 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game.[19]

Personal

On 3 June 2015, Martin was denied bail over allegedly throwing rocks through the windows of Sydney's Lindt cafe in Martin Place, and breaking a police officer's jaw during the subsequent arrest. He was also observed driving erratically in Sydney CBD.[20] He was later admitted to a mental health facility.[21]

References
  1. Southland snap up ex-Boomer Luke Martin
  2. Congratulations Luke Martin! Archived 16 January 2015 at the Wayback Machine
  3. Luke Martin Stats
  4. Season Summary - 2005/2006
  5. Horvath now a Dragon
  6. Hawks to stand by injured Tywain McKee
  7. Luke Martin making up for lost game time
  8. Sydney Kings announce first signings for 2010-2011 NBL season
  9. Perth Wildcats sign Luke Martin Archived 16 January 2015 at the Wayback Machine
  10. Robinson, Chris (7 March 2015). "Perth Wildcats axe three as NBL season post-mortem begins". PerthNow.com.au. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
  11. "Off-season review begins". Wildcats.com.au. NBL.com.au. 9 March 2015. Archived from the original on 10 March 2015. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
  12. 2009 Men's Grand Final
  13. Sharks pick up ex-Boomer Martin
  14. Southland Sharks ready to show some teeth
  15. Martin to rejoin Sharks for another season
  16. Luke Martin re-signs with Sharks in NBL defence
  17. 2015 SEASON PREVIEW – BRISBANE SPARTANS
  18. STATEMENT IN REGARDS TO LUKE MARTIN
  19. Player statistics for Luke Martin
  20. "Professional basketballer allegedly broke officer's jaw after rocks thrown at Lindt Cafe in Sydney's Martin Place". 9news.com.au. 3 June 2015. Retrieved 5 June 2015.
  21. Lindt cafe vandalism: Lawyer applies for former NBL star Luke Martin to be transferred to mental health facility
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