Stu’s Hunt Down: Luc Longley
Posted on June 5th, 2008 – 1:38 PMBy Michael Rand
Name: Luc Longley
Nickname: Luc is short for Lucien. Personally, I would have stuck with Lucien Longley, grown a handlebar mustache, and romanced wealthy dowagers.
Claim to Fame, Minnesota: the Wolves took him 7th overall in the 1991 NBA Draft. As you may remember, he was Australian. I don’t think it’s been determined why they took him after they’d drafted another center (Felton Spencer) in the first round the previous year. Perhaps they were trying to model themselves after the Houston Rockets’ Twin Towers of Hakeem Olajuwon and Ralph Sampson, only with players that weren’t as good.
Claim to Fame, Everywhere Else: was traded to the Chicago Bulls for the immortal Stacey King in 1994. He would go on to carry the Bulls to three consecutive NBA championships, with some help from solid role players like Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen.
Where He Is Now: back in Australia. Per this interview with the Arizona Republic, he’s in the charter vessel business and has a Marthaler-esque passion for Australian rules football. He also managed to escape a fire in April of last year that burned his $2 million Fremantle home to the ground.
Glorious Randomness: at press time, Longley is still believed to be the only NBA player to have been bitten by a scorpion while sorting CDs. To recap, Luc Longley has survived scorpions, explosions and the Minnesota Timberwolves. He will outlive us all, is what I’m saying.
11 Responses to "Stu’s Hunt Down: Luc Longley"
Little known fact: Luc Longley used the stage name “Rick Astley” to score the number one single “Never Gonna Give You Up” in 1987.
Which Australian born athlete had the most success while playing for a Minnesota professional sports team? Luc Longley, Glenn Williams, or Darren Bennett? Am I missing anyone?
Grant Balfour gets my vote.
Shane Heal?
Grant Balfour! Forgot about him. Nice pick up.
Shane Heal!
I think there were/are a bunch of U athletes from Australia who have done well in swimming or golf or something like that too but I was trying to think of pro sports only.
Why are we already doing a Hunt Down on Brook Lope… oh.
I know nobody cares but the Twins drafted a “toolsy” outfielder from Cali. He was the 13th rated player going into the draft.
Look at that 1991 draft. Is there a draft that has been worse than that? I think only about 5 of those guys ever did anything in the league other than collect a paycheck.
The Twins needed one one-out hit to tie the game. Did they get it? No…
Lucien Longley? Is this an Australian version of Dirk Diggler?
Back in his Minnesota playing days, Luc used to live right above the old City Billiards. It is now where students of that Miami Ad school are housed.
One night, we take the service elevator to Luc’s old apartment and see the biggest, baddest toilet ever. I had to take a seat, it felt like I was getting my picture taken on one of those super oversized lawn chairs.
