Luke Martin

{{Infobox basketball biography

| name = Luke Martin

| image = Luke Martin.jpg

| caption = Martin in March 2005

| position = Point guard

| height_cm = 181

| weight_kg = 82

| league =

| team =

| number =

| nationality = Australian

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1981|1|22}}

| birth_place = Sydney, New South Wales

| high_school = St. John's (Washington, D.C.)

| college = UTEP (2001–2002)

| career_start = 2002

| career_end = 2015

| years1 = 2002–2003

| team1 = West Sydney Razorbacks

| years2 = 2003–2006

| team2 = Sydney Kings

| years3 = 2004

| team3 = Manawatu Jets

| years4 = 2005–2007

| team4 = Waikato Titans/Pistons

| years5 = 2006–2007

| team5 = Cairns Taipans

| years6 = 2007–2008

| team6 = South Dragons

| years7 = 2008–2009

| team7 = Wellington Saints

| years8 = 2008–2009

| team8 = Sydney Spirit

| years9 = 2009

| team9 = Parramatta Wildcats

| years10 = 2010

| team10 = Wollongong Hawks

| years11 = 2010

| team11 = Southland Sharks

| years12 = 2010–2013

| team12 = Sydney Kings

| years13 = 2011

| team13 = Auckland Pirates

| years14 = 2013–2014

| team14 = Southland Sharks

| years15 = 2015

| team15 = Perth Wildcats

| years16 = 2015

| team16 = Brisbane Spartans

| highlights =

NZNBL champion (2013)
2× NBL champion (2004, 2005)
Waratah League champion (2009)
Waratah League Grand Final MVP (2009)
NZNBL Rookie of the Year (2004)

}}

Luke Martin (born 22 January 1981) is an Australian former professional basketball player who spent the majority of his career playing in the National Basketball League (NBL). In 2004 and 2005, he represented the Australian national team.[http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/basketball/3191822/Southland-snap-up-ex-Boomer-Luke-Martin Southland snap up ex-Boomer Luke Martin]

Early life

Born and raised in Sydney to a Kiwi father and an Australian mother, Martin moved to the United States in 1998, where he attended St. John's College High School in Washington, D.C.[http://www.sydneykings.com/article/id/1k5dhupkgmyjm1ar1hu4bryb7j Congratulations Luke Martin!] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150116135627/http://www.sydneykings.com/article/id/1k5dhupkgmyjm1ar1hu4bryb7j |date=16 January 2015 }} before playing one season of college basketball for the UTEP Miners in 2001–02. In 23 games for the Miners, he averaged 2.9 points and 1.6 assists per game.[https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/luke-martin-1.html Luke Martin Stats]

Professional career

=ANBL=

Martin returned to Australia in 2002 and joined the West Sydney Razorbacks for the 2002–03 season. After just one season with the Razorbacks, he moved across town and joined the Sydney Kings. He went on to win two championships with the Kings in his first two seasons before injury struck him down for the 2005–06 season. He missed much of the season with a broken foot he suffered while playing for the Australian Boomers in a tour to China.[https://archive.today/20150118204231/http://www.sydneykings.com/2005-2006 Season Summary - 2005/2006] Martin joined the Cairns Taipans for the 2006–07 season[https://web.archive.org/web/20070915205830/http://www.nbl.com.au/default.aspx?s=newsdisplay&aid=4040 Martin thankful] before moving to Melbourne and signing with the South Dragons for the 2007–08 season.[http://www.foxsports.com.au/more-sports/basketball/horvath-now-a-dragon/story-e6frf3f3-1111113327520 Horvath now a Dragon] Martin then moved back to Sydney and signed with the Sydney Spirit for the 2008–09 season.

In January 2010, Martin signed with the Wollongong Hawks, where he spent the rest of the 2009–10 season as an injury replacement for Tywain McKee.[http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/626557/hawks-to-stand-by-injured-tywain-mckee/ Hawks to stand by injured Tywain McKee][http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/625735/luke-martin-making-up-for-lost-game-time/ Luke Martin making up for lost game time]

For their return season to the NBL, Martin joined the resurrected Sydney Kings for the 2010–11 season.[https://archive.today/20150118204256/http://www.foxsports.com.au/more-sports/basketball/sydney-kings-announce-first-signings-for-2010-2011-nbl-season/story-e6frf3f3-1225919877645?nk=910d5c55f1c75abcef56ffebc24bcc85 Sydney Kings announce first signings for 2010-2011 NBL season] He spent three seasons with the Kings.

On 16 January 2015, Martin signed with the Perth Wildcats as an injury replacement for Earnest Ross.[http://www.wildcats.com.au/article/id/1h4j0wpo4h8p41kbckohexvxeu Perth Wildcats sign Luke Martin] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150116164446/http://www.wildcats.com.au/article/id/1h4j0wpo4h8p41kbckohexvxeu |date=16 January 2015 }} On 7 March 2015, he was released by the Wildcats following the club's lacklustre season and a subsequent overhaul of personnel.{{cite web | last=Robinson | first=Chris | url=http://www.perthnow.com.au/sport/basketball/perth-wildcats-axe-three-as-nbl-season-post-mortem-begins/story-fnhq5y0s-1227252662087 | title=Perth Wildcats axe three as NBL season post-mortem begins | work=PerthNow.com.au | date=7 March 2015 | accessdate=13 March 2015}}{{cite news|url=http://www.wildcats.com.au/article/id/1r324002cp66r13jsrsdgzlc9q |title=Off-season review begins |work=Wildcats.com.au |publisher=NBL.com.au |date=9 March 2015 |accessdate=13 March 2015 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150310193422/http://www.wildcats.com.au/article/id/1r324002cp66r13jsrsdgzlc9q |archivedate=10 March 2015 }}

=NZNBL=

Martin began playing in the New Zealand National Basketball League in 2004 for the Manawatu Jets. He then played three seasons for the Waikato Titans/Pistons from 2005 to 2007, before playing two seasons for the Wellington Saints in 2008 and 2009. Following the 2009 NZNBL season, he joined the Parramatta Wildcats and helped the team win the Waratah League Championship while earning Grand Final MVP honours.[http://www.foxsportspulse.com/assoc_page.cgi?client=0-4878-0-0-0&sID=62775&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=10638941 2009 Men's Grand Final]

In December 2009, Martin signed with the newly established Southland Sharks for the 2010 season.[http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/sport/3191799/Sharks-pick-up-ex-Boomer-Martin Sharks pick up ex-Boomer Martin] After one season with the Sharks, he joined the Auckland Pirates for the 2011 season.

After not playing in New Zealand in 2012, Martin returned to the Southland Sharks for the 2013 season.[http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/basketball/8061416/Southland-Sharks-ready-to-show-some-teeth Southland Sharks ready to show some teeth][http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/sport/8057041/Martin-to-rejoin-Sharks-for-another-season Martin to rejoin Sharks for another season] In December 2013, he re-signed with the Sharks for the 2014 season.[http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/basketball/9543273/Luke-Martin-re-signs-with-Sharks-in-NBL-defence Luke Martin re-signs with Sharks in NBL defence]

=SEABL=

In March 2015, Martin joined the Brisbane Spartans for the 2015 SEABL season.[http://seabl.com.au/2015-season-preview-brisbane-spartans/ 2015 SEASON PREVIEW – BRISBANE SPARTANS] Due to the Lindt cafe incident, Martin was stood down by the Spartans.[http://basketball.net.au/statement-regards-luke-martin/ STATEMENT IN REGARDS TO LUKE MARTIN] In 10 games for Brisbane, he averaged 8.4 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game.[https://web.archive.org/web/20150603122753/http://www.sportingpulse.com/team_info.cgi?client=1-3363-126349-345137-16891681&sID=&action=PSTATS&pID=194501988 Player statistics for Luke Martin]

Personal

On 3 June 2015, Martin was denied bail over allegedly throwing rocks through the windows of Sydney's Lindt cafe in Martin Place, and breaking a police officer's jaw during the subsequent arrest. He was also observed driving erratically in Sydney CBD.{{cite web | url=http://www.9news.com.au/national/2015/06/03/05/18/lindt-cafe-site-of-sydney-siege-vandalised | title=Professional basketballer allegedly broke officer's jaw after rocks thrown at Lindt Cafe in Sydney's Martin Place | work=9news.com.au | date=3 June 2015 | accessdate=5 June 2015}} He was later admitted to a mental health facility.[http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-06-17/lawyer-applies-mental-health-transfer-former-nbl-lindt-cafe/6551754 Lindt cafe vandalism: Lawyer applies for former NBL star Luke Martin to be transferred to mental health facility]