Hard to say. Wouldnt have thought Webster would have as big an impact as Exum did at the U17 WCs, but dont think Exum could score 21 and 18 against men's international teams.

Webster has a much better shot and is just as quick, so I will say him slightly.

Hard to pick.. And i'm excited to see these two guys go at it for the next 20 or so years!

Both have talent and huge potential! Given the talent base of each country, Webster may get the better opportunities...

Exum scored 21 on the US team, which is a huge achievement, very, very excited to see him at the RIO games/2014 WCs

I'll be honest i didn't know too much about either player, both look like very promising, here's a little clip i found on Exum

Both are great young talents, with a lot of development to go. will be great to see how both their games improve and elevate to the next level over the coming years. exciting for both tall blacks and boomers

Tai Webster scored 18 points against Greece and 21 points against Angola. Both teams are made up of men. Tai is a 17 years old kid playing and being productive against men. I am not taking anything away from Dante Exum but he was playing against 15 and 16 year olds. Big difference in my opionion.

Webster did do well against senior competition, but again it. Ones down to opportunities...Webster got a chance as NZ does not have the same depth as Australia...you can only do what you can do against the opposition you have presented...

Anon, dreaming.
Adams and Fotu are going to College and will prob not be available and all of those 3 players are now Tall Black squad members so they prob don't care as much about U19 tournaments. Give some other kids a shot.

No-one places any importance on these 3V3 tournaments. It's basically street ball skills on display. Tai should've placed a greater emphasis on trying to get his U-17 team to the WC's!

You may not have heard of him just yet. He remains one of the most under-hyped prospects in basketball. But Tai Webster certainly knows how to play and if what he has shown thus far is anything to go by, it wouldn't be a surprise to see him lighting up your television screens sooner rather than later.
At just 17-years-old, the 6'2" New Zealand guard is the youngest player to ever represent his country's national team, the Tall Blacks. Regarded by many as a surprise selection but definitely an investment in the future, Webster was expected to play somewhat of a development role while many of the team's more established players recovered from injury.
This was all thrown out the window though, when he scored eight points in just 12 minutes in his international debut against Brazil. In this he shot four from five from the field and put on a good show, living up to all expectations.
He would then show his true worth a day later, scoring 18 points against Greece, shooting three for three from beyond the arc, putting on an outstanding display. By this point there were few questioning his selection, but he kept moving upwards as the Olympic Qualifying tournament began.
Here he had a quieter start to the tournament, scoring six points while dishing two assists. This came against Macedonia, where he was matched up with Italian League MVP and All-Euroleague Second Teamer, Bo McCalebb.
In his final game of the tournament he was dominant, leading the way with 21 points and grabbing three rebounds in just 24 minutes, as he helped his side to a win over Angola. After missing a three point attempt in the first minute of the game, he went on to make his next five, finishing five from six from beyond the arc this time.
To do this at this age is impressive to say the least, showing he is capable of playing against international quality players at just 17-years-old.
He is an explosive player, with a very good skill set and has the ability to get to the hoop. His finishing ability is outstanding too, capable of putting the ball in the hoop after having taken contact on a regular basis. These attributes have made him such a hard player to guard in New Zealand, where he has stood out right through the age grade competitions.
What he showed in his stint with the Tall Blacks though, was that he can complement this with a strong outside shooting game. At the Olympic Qualifying tournament he shot 62.5 percent from the three point line, finishing fourth for three point percentage in the tournament, whilst also finishing 16th in the scoring leaders.
Possessing these abilities makes him a dangerous player and a real threat to opposition teams. But what really sells him as a legitimate prospect comes in the fact that he has done it at a high level that few other 17-year-old's would able to shine at.
New Zealand may not have the history of producing the basketball superstars some other international countries have, but don't count that against him. This is changing as the sport continues to grow in the country and quality is beginning to be seen. Last years high school class produced top NBA prospect Steven Adams.
Webster undoubtedly is a star in the making, and has the potential to make it big should he take his opportunities.
So you may ask, could Webster be as good as Steven Adams?
That might be understatement, he could very well be better.

Tai Webster, 6'2", Guard

Tai Webster had class written all over him for the entire tournament, possessing the skill set and explosiveness that would make him a very good college player. He proved himself capable of shooting the outside jumper, while also adept at getting to the hoop and finishing while drawing contact.

He was outstanding in the final, dropping 42 points in a losing effort, at times keeping his team in touch seemingly by himself.

More recently, Webster made his debut for the New Zealand national team and didn't look out of place at that level by any stretch. In his international debut against Brazil, he led his team in scoring, notching 8 points and shooting four from five from the field in just 12 minutes.

This was against a team possessing a handful of NBA players. But then it shouldn’t be a surprise, if one thing was clear about Webster at the tournament, it was that he would have the confidence to take on anyone.

Tai Webster, a 6-2 point guard who played this summer on the New Zealand national team, is planning an official visit to Nebraska later this fall, two sources close to the NU program have confirmed.

At 17 years old, Webster is believed to be the youngest player to ever make his country's national team. He averaged 13.5 points at the Olympic Qualifying Tournament while shooting 52.5 percent from the field, including 62.5 percent from three-point range.

Webster’s club team, the Auckland Pirates, advanced to the New Zealand National League championship final, a game which saw Webster score 42 points.

LSU, Pittsburgh, Saint Mary’s, Virginia, SMU and Wake Forest are among other schools that have offered Webster, according to Rivals.com.

Webster will graduate from Westlake High School in November. That’s also the beginning of the fall signing period, and likely when he will visit Nebraska.

Assistant coach Chris Harriman, a native of Australia, is the lead recruiter on Webster.

Nebraska will host point guard Josh Brown on an official visit in September. Brown previously committed to Temple.

Tai Webster - Source: Photosport Tall Blacks sensation Tai Webster has committed to a scholarship at the University of Nebraska from next year.

Webster (17) became one of the youngest to ever play for the NZ national men's team this year, when he contested the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Venezuela, quickly moving into the starting line-up during warm-up games.

Initially viewed as a development opportunity for the teenager, the campaign quickly became his coming-out party after he scored 18 points against Greece en route to Caracas, then rattled on 21 points in a win over Angola at the OQT.

Webster had already been on the US college radar after helping New Zealand capture the inaugural FIBA 3x3 Youth World Championship title in Italy last year, but his performance with the Tall Blacks rocketed him up the scouting charts and caused the Huskers some anxiety.

Australian-born Nebraska assistant Chris Harriman had previously lured Tall Blacks forward Rob Loe to St Louis University and had been courting Webster for a while. Suddenly, he faced competition for the young Kiwi's signature, but was relieved when the recruit committed this week.

"This is a definite coup for the Huskers," ESPN college basketball analyst Fran Fraschilla told the Lincoln Journal Star. "I'd be shocked if there are 25 better 17-year-old players in the States than this kid."

Fraschilla had watched footage of Webster's outings in Venezuela and was impressed with what he saw.

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"You're talking about some really great teams - some high-level NBA types, European professional players. The young man acquitted himself well, really well."

Webster will become the third member of his family to play college basketball. American-born dad Tony attended University of Hawaii, while older brother Corey went to Division II Lambuth University, before returning home to play for the NZ Breakers.

Currently attending Westlake Boys' High School, he's expected to visit Nebraska in November and begin his scholarship in 12 months.

He'll join a programme in rebuilding mode. The Huskers were a disappointing 12-18 last season, including 4-14 in the Big Ten conference. Coach Kenneth "Doc" Sadler was fired after six seasons in charge and replaced with former Colorado State head coach Tim Miles.

They haven't played in the national college tournament since 1998 and have never progressed past the first round in six appearances

Up and coming Breakers basketballers got the chance to meet athletics superstar Usain Bolt on his whirlwind visit this afternoon, when he stopped in at the ANBL double champs' training centre on the North Shore.

Tai Webster, captain of the Westlake Boys High basketball team which won the National Secondary School Basketball champs over the weekend, had another highlight when he got to meet the charismatic Jamaican. It's been an exciting year for Webster - named in the Tall Blacks, scoring a US scholarship and captaining his team to the schools title.


Westlake team-mate Jack Salt, 16, also got in the picture, making it a great 48 hours for the teenager. Salt had been named, along with Webster, in the national schools' tournament team as one of the best players over the championships week in Nelson.

The youngster dwarfed the sprinter - Salt is 2.05m (6ft 7") while Bolt is 1.95m (6ft 5").

Salt told The Aucklander it was a great experience.

"It was great meeting him and hearing him talk about how he enjoyed his greeting [the haka] into New Zealand.

"It was also fun doing some shooting with him, watching him do a few dunks."

Bolt was presented with a Breakers shirt before taking part in some drills with Breakers players, and mixing and mingling with their families.

The athlete known for his cricketing skills as well as his speed, wasn't so crash-hot at basketball under pressure. He missed his first seven free throws before deciding that dunking the ball would be easier.

The reigning 100m and 200m Olympic champion was in town for less than 24 hours as part of a promotional tour with Gatorade and earlier spent time at the company's plant in south Auckland.

Bolt said a haka performed by workers at the Frucor factory was an experience.

"It was different, it was good. It gave me the chills, the energy they had. I would love to do something like that. I would love to learn," Bolt said.

As well as time with the Breakers, Bolt spent almost an hour in a coaching session with eight young track athletes at the Millennium Institute, giving them tips and taking part in a few races, before being whisked away in a chopper.

Over the course of the week 228 games of basketball were played, but in the one that counted tonight, Westlake Boys High School came out victors in the National Secondary Schools Basketball Championships played in Nelson.

It was a long way to go to end up playing their neighbours and long-time foe Rosmini College in the final, but the victory was perhaps even sweeter because of the traditional rivalry between the two North Shore Schools - and the fact Rosmini was the defending champion.



Led by up-and-coming basketballer Tai Webster (left) who won MVP of the tournament - Westlake took the title 88-74 in front of a vocal crowd. Westlake were up 43-35 at half time.



It capped off a great year for Webster, who became the youngest ever Tall Black and will take up a basketball scholarship in the US next year. He is also on a short-term contract with the Breakers until then.

Webster was also named in the Tournament Team - the best players of the tournament, along with team mates Jack Salt and Logan Poloai. Two Rosmini players also made the tournament team - Tohiraukura Smith-Milner and Stephen Robinson.

Webster thanked the efforts of Westlake Boys High School teacher Ben Eves, and Ben Eves' wife.

Mt Albert Grammar were runners up in the women's final, with Hamilton Girls High taking out the winner's medal. Hamilton had only narrowly beaten Rangitoto College 73-71 in the semi-final.

Boys
Saturday, October 6
Finals
Lynfield 83 Otumoetai 68 (23/24), Aranui 70 Cashmere 71 (21/22), Wanganui 60 Onehunga 73 (19/20), Palmerston North 75 Hastings 57 (15/16), Nelson 66 Melville 77 (13/14), Massey 87 Otago 76 (17/18), Fraser 77 St John's 75 (11/12), St Patrick's 70 St Kentigern 47 (9/10), New Plymouth 58 Auckland 64 (7/8), Tauranga 92 Burnside 82 (5/6), Hutt Valley 101 Nayland 63 (3/4)

Final - Westlake Boys 88 (Tai Webster 24, Jake Seymour 21, Jaylen Gerrand 10) Rosmini 74 (Derone Raukawa 24, Matthew Lacey 20, Tohi Smith-Milner 15)
Q1 19-20
HT 43-35 (24-15)
Q3 69-54 (26-19)
FT 88-74 (19-20)

Tournament Team - Tohi Smith-Milner (Rosmini), Ashton McQueen (Tauranga), Tai Webster (Westlake), Nico Buckrell (Hutt Valley), Logan Poloai (Westlake), Lachlan Campion (Nayland), Jackson Stubbins (Hutt Valley), Steven Robertson (Rosmini), Jordan Harries (New Plymouth), Jack Salt (Westlake)

MVP - Tai Webster (Westlake)

Girls
Finals
St Cuthbert's 43 Waikato Dio 58 (23/24), St Peter's 60 St Mary's 49 (21/22), Wanganui 56 Kristin 62 (19/20), Marlborough 44 Rotorua 60 (15/16), Cashmere 55 Tauranga 49 (13/14), Hawera 45 Buller 69 (11/12), Christchurch 51 Rangiora 68 (9/10), Kavanagh 62 Hastings 49 (17/18), Fraser 46 New Plymouth 70 (7/8), Westlake 47 Wellington 52 (5/6), Auckland 44 Rangitoto 73 (3/4)

Final - Mt Albert Grammar High School 56 (Kezeiah Lewis 18, Idaho-Maree Purcell 15, Kerryn Poto 9) Hamilton Girls High School 74 (Jaylen Hawea 23, Shemaiah Parai 20, Ves Wilkinson 12)
Q1 9-15
HT 32- 30 (23-15)
Q3 40-56 (8-26)
FT 56-74 (16-18)

Tournament Team - Camece Salmon (Wellington), Breana Jones (Fraser), Wuanyei Ah-Hing (Auckland), Brooke Blair (Rangitoto), Pennina Davidson (Rangitoto), Kezeiah Lewis (Mt Albert), Deena Franklin (Westlake), Chelseah Savage (Hamilton), Jaylen-Rose Hawea (Hamilton), Shemaiah Parai (Hamilton)

MVP - Jaylen-Rose Hawea (Hamilton)

You can watch replays of the action on LiveStream here

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If Webster is better than Exum we are in for some great Aust v NZ games over the next 20 years, I would assume that both will head to college then play pro ball overseas.

Dante Exum is projected to go pick 11 2014 NBA mock draft on draft express but they both will be great players

It wouldn't have mattered if tai had played in either of the fiba qualifiers because, Australia in general had better overall teams than New Zealand. Those two are the best of the latter, very close as to who would be better, however in these tournaments aus would have dominated regardless due to the better team, so in order to see which one truly is better we would have to wait and see them play each other in evenly matched teams :)
Also in saying that, both are very good in similar aspects of their game, it comes down to their weaknesses to see who is really the best.
I'm rooting for Team Tai