curltey
Years ago

Are current NZ (Tall Blacks) worthy of new NBL?

After seeing talk of a Wellington team in new league it got me thinking that New Zealand really doesn't have anymore solid international players with the retirements of Jones, Penney, Pero and the dwindling ability of Henare, Rampton, Casey Frank etc. The 2002 team had been together in one way or another for about a decade and was undoubtedly the greatest kiwi team ever but these players are mostly past it or no longer in tall blacks consideration. Are the tall blacks likely to be a thoroughly average team for the next 10 years like they were when we used to smash them in the 80's and early 90's.

Does anyone know if basketball is strongly followed in NZ? I know for instance Wellington is the equivalent of Melbourne to Australia - a stronger sporting-mad city than Auckland despite population. Were any Kiwi basketball diehards pissed off with the creation of the breakers - granted Kiwi season is in NBL offseason so player drain doesn't happen. If so would new wellington team (if not now then in the future) have any possibility to be succesful especially if made up of many undeserving kiwis.

If each team in the future could have say 5-6 local players, 2-3 players from either Oceania/Asia/southern hemisphere (Sth America/Southern Africa etc) and 2 imports would this strengthen the quality of basketball and the following?

besos a todos

Topic #18879 | Report this topic

Anonymous
Years ago

Wasn't the first NZ team practically all NZ with two Americans & Ben Pepper? They went on to finish last...

Reply #223674 | Report this post

ExWhyZee
Years ago

I would have thought NZ has improved greatly since the initail days.
The young teams competing over in Aust seem to be going great guns, making in roads...so there might be some back up players in the not so distant future..

Reply #223678 | Report this post

XztatiK
Years ago

Penney's retiring??? Doubt it, He's 28!

Craig Bradshaw is their future.

Reply #223694 | Report this post

vanexel31
Years ago

dwindling ability of Henare, doesnt he have to have ability to start with? He is terrible

Reply #223698 | Report this post

HAHA
Years ago

I don't know if other NZ teams could sustain themselves let alone come up with the finance from what I've heard- I've said many times I'd welcome any team as long as they can stand on their feet and not beg for food every season just to be here.
As for Bradshaw, definately agree on that one and from what I have heard he is keen for a comeback to get a better deal than folding in his rookie season with Brisbane.
After the experience he's got from Turkey and Spain (with having knocked back offers from Germany and France) I dare say a few clubs would be chasing his autograph next season when he finishes up his contract in the coming months.

Reply #223699 | Report this post

3
Years ago

Here's an interesting article from nearly 18 months back discussing the problem:

http://linky.com.au/cdr8x

Reply #223705 | Report this post

Isaac
Years ago

Could be a quieter patch for the Tall Blacks but it's not all bad news. Penney is in his prime and Bradshaw is quality. They still have Dickel and then maybe someone like Tait. Marks is 33-34 and actually getting minutes in the NBA.

Abercrombie (development player with the Breakers) shows promise. Same with Corey Webster. They have Chris Daniel over in Singapore as an outside shot. Vukona, Horvath and (Luke) Martin are options if they need them. 3's linked report reminded me of Pledger as well - there's a young seven footer.

They could field something competitive, but I think they will lag behind Australia for some years.

Reply #223723 | Report this post

Johnny_Sack
Years ago

Marks is a naturalized Seppo now - so I'd say he's off the books as far as being a NZ player now?...

Reply #223828 | Report this post

Mystro
Years ago

Benny Hill (Nz legend Stan Hills son) is tha next Pero Cameron, he showed Bogut a few moves in his last outing in a tall blacks jersey. Penny will play for years and Bradshaws just getting started. Casey Frank sucks, he's tha turn over king in a Black singlet. Jones will be a hard man to replace but our biggest issue is at point guard, while Henare has a safe pair of hands he is no scoring threat, Tait has the ability to score but I'm not sure of his leadership qualities. Dickels been around for a while but he's no CJ/Jason Smith/Patty Mills. We need a point guard that can score 15+ a game to go with penny's contribution aswell as steady the ship and run the plays. Henare fucks around too much at the top so by the time the balls in tha block there's 5 on tha shot clock.

Reply #223848 | Report this post

Isaac
Years ago

Johnny, didn't know that - interesting.

Mystro, do they even have another PG coming through the ranks? Webster is more like an undersized SG, right?

Last saw Ben Hill play for Waikato I think and didn't think he was quite that good - even came off the bench at NZ NBL level. I think they started Crowe, Wethers, Lenden, Cameron, Homik.

Reply #223851 | Report this post

Anonymous
Years ago

Benny hills been playing in Iceland for Jeff "tha Maori" Green. He's still young but can def shoot tha 3 and play in the post, I think he is the future replacement for Pero Cameron. Yeah Websters got game but he's years off running the show, we'd be way better off poaching an aussie, call his grandmother a kiwi and go from there lol. Abercrombie has game but I'm not sure he could hold his own yet, Tait is the only quality point guard in the mix that has experience and he can be a bit up and down but the Hawks have improved his game. We need a centre to replace Rampton and compliment Bradshaw and no one springs to mind, maybe pinch another aussie lol (prob the only way we'll win another series).
The other thing is can we win against Aussie without Tab Baldwin coaching?

Reply #223884 | Report this post

Hoops

Are current NZ (Tall Blacks) worthy of new NBL?

Recent Posts