Trevor Gleeson

Trevor Gleeson
Born	(1968-05-28) May 28, 1968 Warrnambool, Victoria, Australia
Occupation	Basketball coach
Years active	1990–present
Known for	Head coach of Perth Wildcats (2013–2021), Townsville Crocodiles (2006–2011), Melbourne Tigers (2011–2012); assistant coach for Toronto Raptors and Milwaukee Bucks; five-time NBL champion coach

Trevor Gleeson (born 28 May 1968) is a distinguished Australian basketball coach, currently at the helm of the Chiba Jets competing in Japan's B.League. His coaching journey in the NBL began as an assistant with the Brisbane Bullets from 1997 until 2000. After spending six years coaching in both the Continental Basketball Association and the Korean Basketball League, Gleeson returned to the NBL in 2006 to take on the head coach role for the Townsville Crocodiles, where he earned the prestigious Coach of the Year title in 2011.

Following a single season with the Melbourne Tigers, Gleeson assumed leadership of the Perth Wildcats from 2013 through 2021. During this tenure, he secured five NBL championships (2014, 2016, 2017, 2019, and 2020) and was honored with his second Coach of the Year award in 2021. By that year, he had become fifth on the all-time list for NBL games coached. Between 2021 and 2023, Gleeson served as an assistant coach for the Toronto Raptors in the National Basketball Association (NBA), later joining the Milwaukee Bucks as an assistant coach for the 2023–24 season.

Early life

Raised in Warrnambool, Victoria, Gleeson grew up in a family passionate about sports, with four older siblings. He actively played football and basketball, notably competing with Warrnambool's under-14 basketball team that achieved third place at the national championships. He completed his education at Emmanuel College in 1985.

At age 18, Gleeson experienced a serious industrial accident when a hydraulic door crushed his back, leading to a six-week hospitalization. This event motivated him to pursue a career in coaching.

Initial coaching period in Australia (1990–2000)

In 1990, Gleeson took on the head coaching position for the Warrnambool Mermaids competing in the Country Victorian Invitational Basketball League (CVIBL), steering them to a Division Two championship during his debut season. Two years later, he transitioned to lead Warrnambool's men's team, the Seahawks, guiding them to finish as runners-up in CVIBL Division One that same year. Additionally, he coached the Victorian Basketball All Star Team in 1993.

Gleeson then relocated to Gold Coast, Queensland, where he combined studies with coaching responsibilities at Griffith University.

In 1997, he joined the coaching staff of the Brisbane Bullets in the NBL as a development coach. However, following the conclusion of the 1999–2000 NBL season, all members of the Bullets' coaching staff were released.

Coaching roles in United States and South Korea (2000–2006)

In 2000, Gleeson moved to the United States where he initially worked at summer basketball camps before joining coach Bob Thornton as an assistant with the Quad City Thunder of the Continental Basketball Association (CBA). After one season as assistant coach, he spent the 2001–02 campaign with the Sioux Falls Skyforce. Although he departed afterward, Gleeson returned in January 2003 to assume head coaching duties for the remainder of that season and continued through 2003–04.

For the 2004–05 season, Gleeson accepted an assistant coaching position with South Korea's Seoul Samsung Thunders in the Korean Basketball League, followed by another assistant role with Jeonju KCC Egis during 2005–06.

Townsville Crocodiles (2006–2011)

Gleeson made his return to Australia in 2006, taking on the role of head coach for the Townsville Crocodiles in the NBL. Throughout his initial three seasons, the team consistently secured fifth place, advancing to the quarter-finals in both 2007 and 2008 and reaching the semi-finals in 2009. The Crocodiles improved their standing to third in the 2009–10 season and further climbed to second place in 2010–11; however, both campaigns concluded with semi-final defeats. For his efforts during the 2010–11 season, Gleeson earned the distinction of NBL Coach of the Year.

In 2011, Gleeson departed from Townsville to return to Victoria following his wife's diagnosis with breast cancer.

Melbourne Tigers (2011–2012)

In April 2011, Gleeson was named head coach of the Melbourne Tigers under a reported three-year contract valued at approximately $150,000 annually. The Tigers began that season strongly with a 5–1 record but ultimately finished with an 11–17 tally, missing out on playoff qualification.

By June 2012, Gleeson was relieved of his coaching duties after a comprehensive club review led by new owner and CEO Larry Kestelman alongside basketball director Chris Anstey. The evaluation concluded that Gleeson's coaching "style" was not in line with the organization’s future plans.

Stint in the AFL

Following his exit from the Tigers, Gleeson remained in Melbourne and spent several months contributing as a skills coach for AFL teams North Melbourne and Hawthorn.

First championship (2013–14)

In June 2013, Gleeson took over as head coach of the Perth Wildcats, signing a three-year agreement. After capturing the NBL preseason tournament title, the Wildcats launched their 2013–14 campaign with an undefeated 8–0 start. Under Gleeson's leadership, they secured the minor premiership by finishing with a 21–7 record and advanced to the NBL Grand Final where they triumphed over the Adelaide 36ers in a three-game series to win the championship.

Second championship (2015–16)

Following a semi-final exit in the 2014–15 season, the Wildcats concluded the regular season of 2015–16 in second place with an 18–10 record. They progressed to the Grand Final series and defeated the New Zealand Breakers in three games, earning Gleeson distinction as the first Wildcats coach to claim two championships.

Third championship (2016–17)

On 1 May 2016, Gleeson extended his contract with Perth for another three years. The team started the 2016–17 season strongly at 4–1 but fell to last place by December amid injuries and team cohesion challenges. The mid-season acquisition of import guard Bryce Cotton sparked a significant revival; Perth won eight of their final twelve regular-season games to secure a playoff berth. The Wildcats then swept through the finals undefeated, overcoming both the Cairns Taipans in the semi-finals and the Illawarra Hawks in the grand final series. This achievement marked Perth’s first consecutive championships since 1990/1991 and established Gleeson as their inaugural coach to guide them to back-to-back titles.

Fourth championship (2018–19)

After falling short in a semi-final during 2017–18, the Wildcats opened the 2018–19 season impressively with a 10–1 record but experienced a slump to 12–9 by mid-January. They rebounded by winning six consecutive games to claim the minor premiership, concluding regular play at 18–10 after an overtime loss against Melbourne United. Despite facing injuries to key contributors—including captain Damian Martin (calf), centre Angus Brandt (ankle), and guard Mitch Norton (calf)—as well as absences among imports Bryce Cotton (thumb/hamstring) and Terrico White (hamstring/wrist), Gleeson maintained roster consistency amid external calls for adding a third import during an eight-game losing stretch. His approach proved successful as Perth swept past the Brisbane Bullets 2–0 in semi-finals before defeating Melbourne United 3–1 in the grand final series. This victory secured Perth’s ninth championship overall and marked Gleeson’s fourth title, making him the first coach in NBL history to win four championships with one franchise.

Fifth Championship (2019–20)

On 22 March 2019, Gleeson extended his tenure with the Wildcats by signing a three-year contract renewal. In July 2019, he joined the Indiana Pacers as part of their coaching staff for the NBA Summer League.

The Wildcats held an 8–5 record through round 9 of the 2019–20 season, then secured two additional victories in round 10. In December 2019, Gleeson reached a significant milestone by coaching his 400th NBL game, becoming only the eighth coach in league history to achieve this feat. After suffering back-to-back defeats in January 2020, the Wildcats replaced import player Dario Hunt with Miles Plumlee, a seasoned NBA veteran with seven years of experience. The team concluded the regular season in second place with a 19–9 record, marking their strongest performance since the 2013–14 campaign.

Following a semi-final series win over the Taipans, finishing 2–1, the Wildcats advanced to face the Sydney Kings in the NBL Grand Final. Perth secured victory in Game 1 on Sydney’s home court; the Kings evened the series in Perth during Game 2; then Perth regained a 2–1 advantage with a Game 3 win back in Sydney. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Games 2 through 5 were scheduled to be played without spectators; however, citing health concerns, the Kings withdrew from the series. With the series standing at 2–1, the NBL awarded the championship to the Wildcats for the 2019–20 season, granting Gleeson his fifth NBL title.

Coach of the Year and Sixth Grand Final (2020–21)

The 2020–21 NBL season commenced in January 2021 as a result of pandemic-related delays. In February, Gleeson surpassed Alan Black by coaching his 231st game for the Wildcats, becoming the club’s longest-serving coach. He also became the franchise’s winningest coach after recording his 146th victory. Later that month, Gleeson achieved his 250th career coaching win, joining an elite group as only the sixth coach in NBL history to reach this total and doing so in just 424 games—the third fastest to do so.

In March, under Gleeson’s guidance, the Wildcats claimed the inaugural 2021 NBL Cup title with an impressive 7–1 record despite spending six weeks away from their home base in Perth. By April, he had coached a total of 250 games for Perth with a winning percentage of 64.7%. In May, Gleeson celebrated his 450th NBL game and led the Wildcats to their remarkable 35th straight finals appearance. He earned his second NBL Coach of the Year Award, marking his first time receiving this honor while with Perth.

Gleeson steered Perth to their sixth grand final appearance within eight seasons following a semi-final victory over Illawarra Hawks by a series score of 2–1. However, they were defeated in a clean sweep by Melbourne United in the championship series, losing three straight games.

On 12 July 2021, Gleeson requested an early release from the final year of his contract to explore coaching opportunities within the NBA.

Toronto Raptors (2021–2023)

On 2 August 2021, Gleeson was named assistant coach for the Toronto Raptors, signing a three-year deal. He made his NBA coaching debut on 20 October 2021 during Toronto’s season opener against the Washington Wizards, which resulted in a loss. Initially assigned offensive coaching responsibilities, head coach Nick Nurse reassigned him mid-season to focus on defense. Gleeson played a role in helping the Raptors qualify for the 2022 NBA playoffs. Following Nurse’s departure after the 2022–23 season, Gleeson also parted ways with Toronto.

During the offseason of 2023, Gleeson engaged in discussions with several NBA franchises while declining an offer to coach in Europe. His contract with Toronto was fully paid out for the upcoming 2023–24 season.

Milwaukee Bucks (2023–2024)

On 27 December 2023, Gleeson was appointed as an assistant coach for the Milwaukee Bucks. However, he was not retained following the conclusion of the 2023–24 season.

Chiba Jets (2024–present)

Gleeson took on the role of head coach for the Chiba Jets in Japan's B.League starting with the 2024–25 season, announced on 24 July 2024. During the pre-season, the Jets faced off in an exhibition game against the Perth Wildcats as part of their tour in Japan. On 28 May 2025, Gleeson secured a contract extension to continue as head coach for the 2025–26 season.

National team duties

In June 2014, Gleeson joined the coaching staff of the Australian Boomers as an assistant coach for the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup, collaborating with head coach Andrej Lemanis. He maintained his assistant coaching position through 2015 and 2016, playing a key role in the Boomers' triumph at the 2015 FIBA Oceania Championship and their participation in the Rio Olympics.

Personal life

Gleeson and his wife Dawn are parents to two children: a son named Taj and a daughter named Shae. The couple met while Gleeson was coaching the Sioux Falls Skyforce in the United States. During their residence in Townsville, Dawn received a breast cancer diagnosis. After six years in remission, she was informed in 2017 that the cancer had returned. By August 2019, she had been free of cancer for 20 months.

In May 2016, Gleeson experienced the loss of his brother during a family vacation.

External links

• NBL profile (2006)
• Emmanuel College alumni bio
• 400 NBL games
• Gleeson's 2017 PlayersVoice piece
• "One-on-one with Perth Wildcats championship coach Trevor Gleeson" at thewest.com.au
• "Perth Wildcats coach Trevor Gleeson's journey of drive and determination" thewest.com.au
• "Perth Wildcats Pink Game: How Dawn and Trevor Gleeson got through their greatest battle" thewest.com.au
• "From Warrnambool to the NBL: How home shaped Perth Wildcats coach Trevor Gleeson" at standard.net.au