Luke Schenscher on guarding Shaq, 2004 Final Four and his NBL career

Aussie Hoopla NBL & NBA Podcast

Luke Schenscher went from playing domestic basketball in Canberra to become the first high school student to play for the Australian Boomers in three years.

His rapid development earnt him a scholarship to Georgia Tech University and then played two NBA seasons, one with the Chicago Bulls and the other with the Portland Trailblazers.

Unable to secure a long-term NBA deal he returned to Australia where he would play 211 NBL games over 8 seasons with the Adelaide 36ers, Perth Wildcats and the Townsville Crocodiles.

He was the starting centre on the 2010 Perth Wildcats championship team and named to the All-NBL second team in 2009 and 2011.

Topics include;

• His retirement from basketball and becoming a teacher (2:00)
• Growing up on a farm in Hope Forest, SA before gaining the attention of the AIS (12:30)
• Developing his body and game through the AIS (14:30)
• Becoming the first high school student to make the Boomers squad (19:00)
• Heading to Georgia Tech University (20:30)
• Reaching the NCAA championship in 2004 (31:00)
• NBA interest during his time at Georgia Tech (38:00)
• Graduating college, considering the NBL then joining the NBDL (42:00)
• Joining the Chicago Bulls and making a run in the 2006 NBA playoffs (48:00)
• Facing Shaquille O'Neal (55:00)
• A season in Portland (100:00)
• A championship in Perth (105:00)
• A "money issue" with Perth and the move to Townsville (107:00)
• The return to Adelaide (1:10:00)
• Injuries start to take their toll (1:13:00)

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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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