CANBERRA, April 24 (Xinhua) -- The Australian basketball team has appointed former assistant Andrej Lemanis as the new head coach.

Basketball Australia released a statement on Wednesday, announcing that Lemanis takes charge of the national men's team and will also become head of the men's program at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra.

The 44-year-old Lemanis assisted former head coach Brett Brown at the 2010 world championships and the 2012 London Olympic Games.

He has coached the New Zealand Breakers in the National Basketball League for the last eight seasons and recently led the team to its third consecutive title.

The Australian men's team has appeared in 13 Olympics and 10 world championships without winning a medal.