Our People
David Smith
General Manager: Basketball Operations
David joined Eastside Knights in 2023 as the inaugural Head Coach of our U18 Representative Program and has since helped develop basketball across the Association. As Performance Programs Manager, he helped establish the Knights Development Academy, strengthen representative pathways and expand junior competitions and clubs.
Now General Manager of Basketball Operations, David oversees junior club and representative basketball, as well as the Development Academy.
Passionate about developing people, programs and basketball environments, David brings 235 NBL games, more than 20 years of coaching, athlete and talent development, and extensive experience in professional leadership and team-developing high-performing teams.
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He believes successful programs should be able to support different aspirations—from pursuing higher levels of the game to building confidence, capability and a lifelong love of basketball.
Through his involvement with the Brisbane Bullets Academy and his role as a Basketball Queensland (BQ) Coach Developer, David continues to pursue personal grow and bring new insights back to Eastside Knights.
As General Manager, he applies that growth mindset across the Association—developing people, strengthening clubs and programs, and creating a connected environment where athletes, coaches and clubs can succeed.
Steffi Sassning
Referee Co-ordinator
Steffi is an incredibly experienced referee that we are thrilled to have leading and developing our program. We know that our officials, whether already experienced or just starting on their ref journey, will be led, nurtured and developed to be the best they can be under Steffi's leadership.
“Eastside’s vision of positive and constructive communication, and the goal of increasing the performance and satisfaction of all involved in the game, correspond 100% to my values”
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Steffi's Referee Highlights
15 yrs referees and crew chief in Germany
Championship game referee - German National titles (University/School/Youth Levels)
Week in, week out we witness the positive impact Steffi has on our officials and the continued growth of the Eastside Knights Basketball Association
