MELBOURNE (Paulo Kennedy's View from Downunder) - The world has a way of knocking you off your feet sometimes, both in good ways and bad.

It was just 11 days ago that the Australian basketball community was celebrating the Emerging Opals - or Uniroos as they are also known - taking the gold medal at the World University Games (WUG).

It was a stunning performance from a team with an average age of 21 - playing in a tournament often called the unofficial U25 world championship - that had the poise to down hosts Chinese Taipei in front of a packed crowd in the semi-finals and withstand a fierce Japanese assault in the final.

For a team featuring no regular Opals or WNBL stars - though a few who probably will be before too long - it was a superb effort and a very pleasant surprise for hoops fans.

I'm not sure why Lucas' name never really seems to come up in discussions about the 'next Opals coach' whenever the position becomes available, or why his success in Townsville always needs to be dampened by some with the reasoning that Suzy Batkovic and Cayla George delivered those titles.

Please. How many coaches win multiple titles in any decent competition without great players? Gregg Popovich, Phil Jackson, Andrej Lemanis, Brian Goorjian, Alistair Clarkson - they've all had the talent to work with.

The Fire won more games in every season of Lucas' five-year tenure and went from out of the playoffs before his arrival to an immediate post-season appearance, followed by two losing grand finals, followed by two championships. Remarkable.

Lucas recruited Garbin all the way across the continent from Perth to Townsville two years ago and worked with the former FIBA U19 Women's Basketball World Cup star during the 2015/16 season.

Garbin has always had the 'P word' - potential - attached to her but after her efforts in Taipei it is surely just a matter of time until she is knocking at the Opals' door.

Sometimes people knock the way Lucas only gives his young players minutes when he feels they have earned it, but when you listen to his players speak about him, you know he is the epitome of harsh but fair, carrot and stick, and he does it with genuine care for his players.

That was never more evident than through the flood of tributes for the now Adelaide Lightning coach when he announced this week he was battling kidney cancer. As I said, how the world can knock you off your feet in both good and bad ways.

Lucas said he had battled through leg and back pain during the WUG tournament, but was "dumbfounded" to return to Australia and find out the cause.

He is now expected to miss at least two months of the WNBL season, but that seems minute compared to the hurdle we all hope he can overcome.

"It is a shock and he has a battle ahead but the spirit and determination that he has displayed throughout his coaching career will hold him in good stead," Basketball Australia CEO Anthony Moore said.

I, on behalf of everyone from FIBA who has dealt with Chris over the years in his roles with the Opals, Australia junior teams and New Zealand Tall Ferns, wish him all the best for a speedy recovery and a healthy future. Our thoughts are with you.

FIBA

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