James Paringatai

James Paringatai (born 7 January 1986) is a New Zealand basketball player for the Geraldton Buccaneers of the State Basketball League (SBL) competing in the West Coast Classic. Paringatai played 13 seasons in the National Basketball League (NBL), with his most notable stint coming with the Southland Sharks between 2010 and 2016. He captained the Sharks to NBL championships in 2013 and 2015. In June 2016, he moved to Australia to play in the SBL.

James Paringatai
No. 22 – Geraldton Buccaneers
PositionPower forward
LeagueState Basketball League
West Coast Classic
Personal information
Born (1986-01-07) 7 January 1986
Taihape, New Zealand
NationalityNew Zealand
Listed height201 cm (6 ft 7 in)
Listed weight117 kg (258 lb)
Career information
High school
Playing career2004–present
Career history
2004Manawatu Jets
2005Wellington Saints
2006–2008Manawatu Jets
2009Taranaki Dynamos
2010–2016Southland Sharks
2016Mandurah Magic
2017–presentGeraldton Buccaneers
Career highlights and awards

Early life

Paringatai was born in Taihape, played two seasons with Wanganui City College, and went to Australia with the New Zealand under-20 and under-23 teams.[1] Growing up in Taihape, Paringatai loved being outdoors and spending time with family. He played rugby union as a youth before picking up basketball as an early teenager.[2]

Basketball career

Paringatai debuted in the National Basketball League (NBL) with the Manawatu Jets in 2004 as an 18-year-old.[1] In December that year, he trialled with the Sydney Kings of the Australian NBL.[1] Paringatai was described as a "mini Pero Cameron" in his early years in the NBL and seemed destined to play for the Tall Blacks. However, his development was hampered by a lack of consistency and conditioning issues.[3]

In 2005, Paringatai played for the Wellington Saints.[4] The next three years were spent with the Manawatu Jets before his move to New Plymouth in 2009.[5] He had a breakout season during the Taranaki Dynamos' zero-win, 16-loss campaign – averaging 13 points a game and starting in every match he was available for.[6][7]

Paringatai (#33) in March 2018, alongside Jarrad Prue (#14) of the Lakeside Lightning during a pre-season game

Paringatai was one of the first players to sign with the Southland Sharks for their inaugural season in 2010.[6][8] He started for Southland in the first half of the 2010 season, but was consigned to a role off the bench after that, a role that stemmed into the 2011 season.[9] Following the 2011 season, he made a conscious decision to get fitter in the off-season and alter his eating habits; he subsequently shed 14 kilograms.[3] In May 2012, Paringatai became the first player in the club's history to play 50 games. He captained the Sharks in their first game in the league in March 2010, and went on to play in 50 straight games.[3]

In 2013, Paringatai was captain of the Sharks' maiden championship-winning team.[10] He also won the FIBA Pacific Games with the NZ Maori team.[11][12][13] Paringatai had a solid 2013 NBL season, capped in the 114–67 rout of the Otago Nuggets where in 13 minutes he shot five of seven from the field, dropped a three pointer, and added five rebounds.[11]

In 2015, Paringatai became the first player to bring up 100 games for the Sharks.[14] As co-captain, he helped the Sharks win their second championship in three years.[15]

In November 2015, Paringatai re-signed with the Sharks for the 2016 season.[16] Described by the club as the "ultimate team man", Paringatai said at the time there were other offers on the table, but he never wanted to leave the Sharks.[16]

In June 2016, Paringatai joined the Mandurah Magic of the State Basketball League (SBL).[17]

In January 2017, it was announced that Paringatai would not be returning to the Sharks for the 2017 season, after being offered a contract to once again play in the SBL.[18] He was originally recruited by the Kalamunda Eastern Suns, but it did not pan out.[19] He subsequently joined the Geraldton Buccaneers.[2] He played his third season with Geraldton in 2019[20] and was a member of the Buccaneers' championship-winning team.[21] He continued on with the Buccaneers in 2020 for the West Coast Classic.[22]

Personal

Paringatai is the son of Parry and Sarah.[23] In 2011, Paringatai became a father for the first time, when son Cooper-James was born.[3] In 2013, Paringatai graduated with his Bachelor of Sport and Recreation degree from the Southern Institute of Technology.[3][11]

Paringatai is close friends with former Southland Stags fullback Glen Horton,[24] and fellow basketball player Jeremiah Trueman.[9]

gollark: I feel like you would run quite hard into diminishing returns of some sort.
gollark: 7 hours is literally approximately half your available time per day.
gollark: That sounds incredibly time-inefficient.
gollark: It's simultaneously extremely smart and really stupid.
gollark: It's a relatively modern thing I think. I saw an article on this at some point, although I have now almost entirely forgotten it.

References
  1. "Basketballer to trial with Sydney Kings". nzherald.co.nz. 3 December 2004. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  2. Fris, Justin (6 July 2017). "Giant effort on and off the court". TheWest.com.au. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  3. Egan, Brendon (10 May 2012). "Sharks veteran Paringatai set for milestone". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  4. "2005 League Handbook" (PDF). Basketball.org.nz. p. 22 (23). Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 August 2006.
  5. Hills, Murray (29 May 2009). "Big Dynamo takes direct route". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  6. Egan, Brendon (6 February 2010). "James Paringatai eyes black singlet". Stuff.co.nz. Archived from the original on 23 February 2013. Retrieved 7 June 2010.
  7. Egan, Brendon (10 February 2010). "James Paringatai eyes black singlet". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  8. Hills, Murray (8 January 2010). "Dynamos hone in on [sic] import, lose Paringatai". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  9. Egan, Brendon (20 May 2011). "Getting on top of Manawatu 'a tall order'". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  10. Savory, Logan (16 July 2013). "Well done, you good things". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  11. "Paringatai's chance to build on last season's success". Stuff.co.nz. 28 January 2014. Archived from the original on 28 January 2014. Retrieved 28 January 2014.
  12. "Paringatai's chance to build on 2013 success". Stuff.co.nz. 29 January 2014. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  13. "New Zealand Maori win the title". Australiabasket.com. 4 December 2013. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  14. "James Paringatai to become first Southland Sharks to play 100 games for franchise". Stuff.co.nz. 24 February 2015. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  15. Foden, Blake; Nicoll, Dave (7 July 2015). "Southland Sharks' success goes beyond the court". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  16. "Southland Sharks re-sign James Paringatai". Stuff.co.nz. 18 November 2015. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  17. Rake, Justin (17 June 2016). "Mandurah Magic set to benefit from New Zealand recruit". MandurahMail.com.au. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  18. "Foundation Southland Sharks player James Paringatai will not return for the 2017 NBL season". Stuff.co.nz. 23 January 2017. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  19. "Clarke to keep backing his way with young Suns". SportsTG.com. 17 March 2017. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  20. Joseph, Dayle (19 March 2019). "Welcome back!". geraldtonbuccaneer.wixsite.com. Archived from the original on 12 October 2019. Retrieved 23 December 2019. James Paringatai is in his 3rd year at the Buccs and is looking at having a bigger impact this year.
  21. "Wolves vs Buccaneers". FIBALiveStats.com. 31 August 2019. Retrieved 31 August 2019.
  22. "Senators vs Buccaneers". FIBALiveStats.com. 25 July 2020. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  23. Karauria, Merania (3 August 2013). "Basketball ace drops in on mentor". nzherald.co.nz. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  24. Egan, Brendon (26 June 2010). "Southland Sharks recruits opt for Invercargill". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
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