Shane Douglas Heal (born 6 September 1970) is an Australian basketball coach and former player.
![]() Heal as coach of the Sydney Uni Flames in 2022 | |
Sydney Uni Flames | |
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Position | Head coach |
League | WNBL |
Personal information | |
Born | (1970-09-06) 6 September 1970 (age 52) Melbourne, Victoria |
Nationality | Australian |
Listed height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) |
Listed weight | 183 lb (83 kg) |
Career information | |
High school | Upper Yarra Secondary College (Yarra Junction, Victoria) |
NBA draft | 1992 / Undrafted |
Playing career | 1988–2009 |
Position | Point guard |
Number | 10, 11 |
Coaching career | 2006–present |
Career history | |
As player: | |
1988 | Brisbane Bullets |
1989–1991 | Geelong Supercats |
1992–1995 | Brisbane Bullets |
1996 | Sydney Kings |
1996–1997 | Minnesota Timberwolves |
1998 | Sydney Kings |
1998–2000 | Near East |
2000–2003 | Sydney Kings |
2002 | Andrea Costa Imola |
2003 | San Antonio Spurs |
2003–2004 | Makedonikos |
2006–2008 | South Dragons |
2008–2009 | Gold Coast Blaze |
As coach: | |
2006–2008 | South Dragons |
2012–2014 | Sydney Kings |
2014 | Wellington Saints |
2015–2016 | SEQ Stars |
2018–2020 | Sutherland Sharks |
2021–present | Sydney Uni Flames |
Career highlights and awards | |
As player:
As coach:
| |
Stats ![]() | |
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
Heal's international career highlights include representing the Australian Boomers at the 1992, 1996, 2000 and 2004 Summer Olympic Games, captaining the team in 2004 in Athens. Heal Also represented Australia at numerous FIBA World Championships.
Many consider Heal's best international game came against the USA "Dream Team" in a warm up match for the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. The game, played at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, was won 118-77 by the US, though Heal topped all scorers with 28 points including hitting 8 of 12 three pointers. Heal had a running battle with NBA superstar Charles Barkley during the game with the two almost coming to blows at one point, though they hugged in mutual respect on-court after the game.
Heal had two stints in the NBA, firstly in the 1996–97 season with the Minnesota Timberwolves, when he averaged 1.7 points in 43 games, and secondly in the 2003–04 season with the San Antonio Spurs, when he averaged 3.7 points in six games.[1]
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Heal played for the Brisbane Bullets, Geelong Supercats, Sydney Kings, South Dragons and Gold Coast Blaze. He was a member of the Kings' 2003 NBL championship-winning team. Between 2006 and 2008, he served as player-coach of the Dragons. For the 2008–09 NBL season, Heal was part of the inaugural Blaze squad. He retired in February 2009 at age 38 after a 21-year career.[2][3] In 440 games, he averaged 20.6 points and 6.1 assists.[4]
Heal was named in the Sydney Kings 25th Anniversary Team.[5]
He held an Australian Institute of Sport basketball scholarship from 1987 to 1988.[6]
On 3 March 2006, it was reported in Melbourne's Herald Sun newspaper that Heal was considering coming out of retirement to captain the South Dragons, a new Melbourne-based NBL franchise to enter the league in the 2006–07 season.[7] He officially signed with the team on 6 April as the Dragons' inaugural captain.[8] On 23 October 2006, Dragons coach Mark Price resigned after the Dragons lost their first five regular season games. Price was replaced by Heal, who was appointed as player and interim coach for the remainder of the season.[9][10] Heal took the club to the NBL playoffs in their first season, but then the team won just four of 26 games in 2007–08, including defeats in their last straight 13 matches.[11] He was sacked by the Dragons on 1 February 2008.[12]
On 24 February 2012, Heal was appointed head coach of the Sydney Kings for the rest of the 2011–12 NBL season.[13][14] In his first game two days later, he guided the Kings to a 71–69 win over the Townsville Crocodiles.[15]
Heal was named the Coach of the Month for January of the 2013–14 NBL season.[16]
In March 2014, Heal parted ways with the Kings.[17]
Heal coached the Wellington Saints during the 2014 New Zealand NBL season,[18] and helped them win the championship in his one season.[19]
In March 2015, Heal was named the inaugural head coach of the South East Queensland Stars[20] on a three-year deal.[21] He was sacked in February 2016 when the team went into liquidation.[21]
Heal coached the Sutherland Sharks women's team in the Waratah League for three years between 2018 and 2020. He guided them to a grand final appearance in his first year.[22]
In March 2021, Heal was appointed head coach of the Sydney Uni Flames on a three-year deal.[23]
Heal's daughter, Shyla, was selected eighth overall in the 2021 WNBA Draft by the Chicago Sky, becoming the third Australian player to be selected in the top 10 of the WNBA draft.[24]
GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
Source[1]
Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1996–97 | Minnesota | 43 | 0 | 5.5 | .268 | .308 | .600 | .4 | .8 | .1 | .1 | 1.7 |
2003–04 | San Antonio | 6 | 0 | 12.0 | .292 | .222 | .800 | .7 | .8 | .2 | .0 | 3.7 |
Career | 49 | 0 | 6.3 | .273 | .289 | .700 | .4 | .8 | .1 | .1 | 2.0 |
Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1997 | Minnesota | 2 | 0 | 1.5 | 1.000 | 1.000 | – | .0 | .5 | .0 | .0 | 3.0 |
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