Editing Luc Longley (section)

==Early life and career==
Longley was born 19 January 1969<ref>{{cite web|url=https://secure.ausport.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/338412/wais_annual_report_2007-2008.pdf|work=Hall of Champions |title=2007/2008 WAIS Yearbook and Annual Report |publisher=[[Western Australian Institute of Sport]] |year=2008 |access-date=19 April 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110319095603/https://secure.ausport.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/338412/wais_annual_report_2007-2008.pdf |archive-date=19 March 2011}}</ref> in [[Melbourne|Melbourne, Victoria]], to Sue (''née'' Hansen) and Richard Longley. Longley's father was<ref>{{cite web |url=https://nbl.com.au/news/vale-rick-longley |title=Vale Rick Longley |date=17 January 2025 }}</ref> an architect who stood {{height|ft=6|in=10}} tall and represented Australia at international level in basketball,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1946&dat=19671219&id=wcQtAAAAIBAJ&pg=7281,4326608|title=Loyla Cagers face Australians tonight|newspaper=[[The Montreal Gazette]]|last=Shank|first=Ray|date=19 December 1967|access-date=19 April 2010}}</ref> including being a member of two Olympic squads.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://203.23.213.83/assets/files/Major%20Stadium/The%20Stadium%20and%20the%20City%20Vol%201.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110704102809/http://203.23.213.83/assets/files/Major%20Stadium/The%20Stadium%20and%20the%20City%20Vol%201.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=2011-07-04|title=The Stadium & the City - Volume 1 |publisher=Major Stadia Taskforce |date=May 2007 |access-date=19 April 2010 }}</ref> His mother, who is {{height|ft=6|in=4}} tall, is an equestrian who has been divorced from Richard since 1984 and lives in [[Albuquerque]], [[New Mexico]], United States.<ref name="SI"/> Longley has two brothers, Sam, a journalist and actor, and Griffin, also a journalist who also played briefly for the [[Perth Wildcats]].

Longley grew up in [[Fremantle]], [[Western Australia]]. At the age of 16 he was a member of the Australian Under-19 side and the following year, 1986, he joined the Wildcats, with whom he played two games.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thewildcatsjungle.tripod.com/id2.html|title=Wildcats Honour Roll|publisher=[[Perth Wildcats]]|access-date=19 April 2010}}</ref>

Longley was recruited out of [[Scotch College, Perth|Scotch College]] in [[Perth]] by the [[University of New Mexico]]'s basketball coach, [[Gary Colson]], who went to Perth to recruit Longley's childhood friend [[Andrew Vlahov]], who ended up attending [[Stanford University]].<ref name="SI">{{cite magazine|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1136016/2/index.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121026112210/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1136016/2/index.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=26 October 2012|title=Cool Hand Luc|magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]]|last=Kirkpatrick|first=Curry|date=24 December 1990|access-date=20 April 2010}}</ref> Vlahov and Longley both played their junior basketball for the [[Perth Redbacks]] on the same team. Longley attended college at the University of New Mexico, from 1987 to 1991, where he averaged 19.1 points, 9.2 rebounds and 3.6 assists in his senior year. He helped New Mexico reach the NCAA Tournament in 1991.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.golobos.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/010810aaa.html |title=Ex-Lobo Luc Longley Returns To His College Roots |work=Official Athletics site of The University of New Mexico |publisher=[[University of New Mexico]] |date=7 January 2010 |access-date=19 April 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722091312/http://www.golobos.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/010810aaa.html |archive-date=22 July 2011 }}</ref> At nineteen he was a member of the national team for the [[Basketball at the 1988 Summer Olympics|Seoul Olympics]], where they finished fourth, at the time the best result an [[Australia men's national basketball team|Australian senior men's basketball team]] had achieved in [[Summer Olympic Games|Olympic]] competition.

Longley also spent time at the [[Australian Institute of Sport]] in 1986 and 1987 (before heading to New Mexico) under the coaching of Australian Boomers head coach [[Adrian Hurley]], attending the AIS with Vlahov and another emerging basketball player from [[Adelaide]], [[Mark Bradtke]]. Throughout the 1990s, the trio formed the nucleus of the Australian Boomers front court with Longley at centre, 6'10" (208&nbsp;cm) Bradtke at [[Power forward (basketball)|power forward]], and 6'7" (201&nbsp;cm) Vlahov at [[small forward]].

When Longley returned home to Perth during college breaks, he regularly suited up for the Perth Redbacks, helping the team to win consecutive [[State Basketball League]] (SBL) championships in 1989 and 1990.