John Rillie is Staying Put in Perth

The Perth Wildcats are excited to announce the club has picked up John Rillie’s third year team option, keeping him at the helm as head coach until at least the end of the 2024/25 season. 

Rillie was appointed to the head coaching role ahead of the 2022/23 NBL season, after spending five years as associate head coach of the men’s program at UC Santa Barbara.

He was an assistant coach of the Australian Boomers for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, helping guide the team to their first-ever Olympic medal, defeating Slovenia to win bronze. 

The Australian basketball great has brought three decades of elite experience to Perth, both as a high-level coach and a championship-winning player.

As a player, Rillie had an outstanding career, playing 481 NBL games from 1995 to 2010; named NBL Rookie of the Year in 1995, winning a championship in 1998 and named to the All-NBL First Team in 2004. 

Rillie said he’s excited to be a part of shaping the Perth Wildcats moving forward. 

“To be locked in for another couple years allows the Wildcats and myself to shape the franchise moving forward, the roster build over this offseason is allowing for success now and into the future with the youth we have added,” he said.

“I have enjoyed all that comes along with being the Perth Wildcats head coach and I will certainly be better prepared going into my second year and having come back to the NBL, I feel the players and club have some continuity for the first time in the last few years. 

“I love the additions of youth and local WA flavour, along with the experienced players returning, this blend should allow us to grow throughout the season, both as a team and as individuals and I’m excited for the ceiling of this team.

General Manager of Basketball Operations Danny Mills said he trusts Rillie to take the club to the next level.

“In continuing to evolve the organization both on and off the court, this early extension for John is a clear statement of our trust in him and the pillars he is building to get this program to the next level,” he said.

“We are all aligned as to the direction we are taking the club and are thrilled that John will be leading this team long into the future.”