“Brian is the best coach I had ever had in my career, there is no comparison,” he said. “His practice and his attention to detail is world class.

“It is such a rare chance to learn under him, I gained a lot of experience watching the way he practised and how he prepared for games.”

Standing at 2.06 metres, Reid never played any position other than centre during his time in Hong Kong, but the five-time A1 Division champion is embracing the chance to develop his game in other areas.

Reid revealed he had been relearning to play as a power forward, and has duly picked Australian national team coach Goorjian’s brains.

“It was not just about the position but what the coach requires a No 4 to do,” Reid said. “From marking my opponent, rotating on the court to help defence … Goorjian is so demanding in defence, so what he requested was a whole new level.”

Reid – the No 3 pick in 2017 Chinese Basketball Association draft – played the same role in mainland China, but admitted the requirements were “nowhere” as demanding.

“[Goorjian’s] standard on the defensive end was really high. On offence, I am learning how to space the court and create space for my teammates,” Reid said.

“The coach liked my high basketball IQ and how I read the offence. I just need more time to excel in this role.”

Eastern captain Chan praises team’s adaptability during ABL title success

Reid, who played for Zhejiang Golden Bulls and Nanjing Monkey Kings from 2017 to 2019, added that he had been learning much in practice from his teammates Hayden Blankley and Andrew Nicholson.

“Simply put, the difference between professionals in Asia and Hong Kong was obvious. What you can do in Hong Kong, you cannot do it elsewhere,” Reid said. “Learning from the pros how you can help the team is a great challenge and there is certainly much more room for improvement.

“The coach demanded we win both leagues, so it is going to be a huge challenge next season. We need a big step forward and I believe there are going to be better players coming in.”

The Dragons – who finished as runners-up in the Philippines Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup as a guest team – finished third in the five-day EASL Champions Week tournament in Japan earlier this month.

Reid said while returning to the Philippines for a second season is on the cards, the team is contemplating moving its base to Macau.

Under a proposed revamp, six Filipino teams may travel to Macau to play the Dragons in arenas at the city’s casinos, while the Dragons would play their away games in the Philippines.

Reid said he is “definitely” playing in the Asian Games in Hangzhou if called upon, and would love to represent the national side when the qualifiers for the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup begin in November, even if they may clash with the new PBA season.