Mark Leader (North Melbourne Giants) on the 1989 and 1994 NBL championships

Mark Leader joined the Devonport Warriors NBL team in 1983 after graduating from Western Oregon University. 

A 6 month holiday in Australia that turned into a 12-year NBL playing career that included championships in 1989 and 1994 with the North Melbourne Giants.

Leader, who is the only Giants player to be a part of the two title runs, he also captained the squad from 1993 to 1995.

After his career Leader turned his hand to coaching, first with the Giants NBL program as an assistant under Brett Brown and then as head coach of the Ballarat Miners and Geelong Supercats in the state league where he won national championships at both clubs.

Mark joins Dan Boyce on the podcast to discuss Tasmanian Hoops in the 1980s, Geelong Supercats returning to the NBL and his championship seasons in 1989 and 1994.

• Life after basketball... how Mark has spent his time since retiring in 1995 (2:00)
• How Mark was recruited to Australia from Oregon, USA (4:30)
• The Devonport Warriors NBL team which existed from 1983-1984 (8:30)
• Thoughts on basketball returning to Tasmania with the JackJumpers in 2021 (9:30)
• NBL player-coaches in the 1980s (11:00)
• His decision to move to the mainland and play for the Geelong Cats (12:00)
• Is it likely we see Geelong ever return to the National League (18:00)
• Becoming a naturalised Australian and joining the North Melbourne Giants in 1988 (19:00)
• Memories of playing alongside the "Twin Boulders" Scott Fisher and Tim Dillon (22:30)
• Bouncing back from the Grand Final loss in 1988 (25:00)
• Winning it all with the Giants in 1989 (27:00)
• Darryl McDonald joins the team in 1994 and the Giants win their second NBL championship (32:00)
• Learning from Brett Brown (39:00)
• Deciding to retire in 1995 (42:00)
• The best players Mark faced during his career (43:00)
• The highlights and challenges from his basketball journey (45:00)

Visit dunk.com.au for your next set of basketball uniforms.

Listen to our previous interviews with the biggest stars in Australian Basketball, head to Aussiehoopla.com. Check out previous podcasts featuring;

Australian Basketball Legends - Luc Longley, Andrew Gaze, Shane Heal, Mark Bradtke, Leroy Loggins, David Andersen, Andrew Vlahov, CJ Bruton, Chris Anstey, Brett Maher, John Rillie, Tony Ronaldson, Brad Newley

Current NBL Stars -Donald Sloan, AJ Ogilvy, Damian Martin, Daniel Kickert, Thomas Abercrombie, Jason Cadee, Bryce Cotton, Chris Goulding, Mitch McCarron, Cam Gliddon, Anthony Drmic

Our Finest Coaching Minds - Brian Goorjian, Barry Barnes, Joey Wright, Adrian Hurley, Aaron Fearne, Rob Beveridge, Phil Smyth, Ian Stacker, Shawn Dennis, Dean Vickerman, Trevor Gleeson, Lindsey Gaze, Ken Cole, Will Weaver

NBA Stars Past & Present - Andrew Bogut, Matthew Dellavedova, Stephen Jackson, Randy Livingston, Torrey Craig, Acie Earl, Josh Childress, Reggie Smith, Todd Lichti, Ryan Broekhoff, Doug Overton

The NBL's Greatest Imports - Darryl McDonald, Ricky Grace, Derek Rucker, Leon Trimmingham, Scott Fisher, Lanard Copeland, Mike Mitchell, Darnell Mee, Isaac Burton, Adonis Jordan, Shawn Redhage, Willie Farley, Al Green, Corey "Homicide" Williams, Andre Moore, Steve Woodberry, Mike Mitchell, Dusty Rychart, Ebi Ere, Doug Overton, Kevin Lisch

And the men who run things - Larry Kestelman, Paul Maley, Vince Crivelli, Jeremy Loeliger, Chuck Harmison, Jeff Van Groningen, Bob Turner

All that and much more.

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