New Zealand men's national basketball team

The New Zealand men's national basketball team is the senior men's national basketball team of New Zealand. The team is nicknamed the Tall Blacks. The Tall Blacks name is one of many New Zealand national team nicknames related to the All Blacks. Over its history, the team has won three FIBA Oceania Championships, and twice appeared in the Summer Olympic Games. It participated in its first FIBA Asia Cup in 2017, finishing in fourth place.

For the women's team, see New Zealand women's national basketball team.

New Zealand
FIBA ranking24 (3 March 2020)[1]
Joined FIBA1951
FIBA zoneFIBA Asia
National federationBasketball New Zealand
CoachPero Cameron
Nickname(s)Tall Blacks
Olympic Games
Appearances2
MedalsNone
FIBA World Cup
Appearances6
MedalsNone
FIBA Oceania Championship
Appearances22
Medals Gold: (1999, 2001, 2009)
Silver: (1971, 1975, 1978, 1979, 1981, 1983, 1985, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1997, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2011, 2013, 2015)
FIBA Asia Championship
Appearances1
MedalsNone

History

There is a long and storied history of basketball in New Zealand dating back to when Wilt Chamberlain vacationed at the island paradise back in the 60s and introduced the game to the Kiwis. The Tall Blacks competed at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, and finished with a 1–5 record, their only win coming against Angola, in the playoff for eleventh place.

In 2001, they defeated Australia, in a three-game series to qualify for the 2002 FIBA World Championship in Indianapolis, United States. At the tournament, they finished fourth, after beating Puerto Rico in the quarter-finals, before losses to Serbia and Montenegro and Germany. Tall Blacks captain Pero Cameron was the only non-NBA player named to the All-Tournament team in Indianapolis.

The Tall Blacks also qualified for the 2004 Athens Olympics, but again finished with a 1–5 record, and lost to Australia in the playoff for ninth place. Their most noted moment was on the 7th day of the games, when they defeated the then reigning 2002 FIBA World Championship gold medalists, Serbia and Montenegro, by a score of 90–87.

2006 FIBA World Championship

At the 2006 FIBA World Championship, the Tall Blacks were not to repeat their fourth-place finish from 2002. After an 0–3 start, the Tall Blacks rallied into the second round, with two straight wins to close out the group stage. However, they would fall in the round of 16 to the defending Olympic gold medalists Argentina, 79–62. After that disappointment, Tab Baldwin resigned as the head coach of the Tall Blacks, and was replaced by Nenad Vučinić, his longtime assistant coach.

2011 Stanković Cup

The squad competed at the 2011 Boris Stanković Cup in China. They played 3 games against difficult opposition, China, Russia, and Angola. After going down to Russia in the first game by just 3 points, the Tall Blacks quickly put that behind them, to smash China in their second game, which led to a good win against a strong Angolan team. The Tall Blacks came up against a strong Russian team in the final, but the Russians were no match for Tall Blacks star shooting guard Kirk Penney, as he scored 30 points, to give the Tall Blacks the win and the gold medal for 2011.

Performance table

Summer Olympic Games

FIBA Basketball World Cup

FIBA Asia Cup
Year Position Tournament Host City
20174th2017 FIBA Asia CupBeirut, Lebanon

FIBA Oceania Championship
Year Position Host
19712 FIBA Oceania Championship 1971
19752 FIBA Oceania Championship 1975
19782 FIBA Oceania Championship 1978
19792 FIBA Oceania Championship 1979
19812 FIBA Oceania Championship 1981
19832 FIBA Oceania Championship 1983
19852 FIBA Oceania Championship 1985
19872 FIBA Oceania Championship 1987
19892 FIBA Oceania Championship 1989
19912 FIBA Oceania Championship 1991
19932 FIBA Oceania Championship 1993
19952 FIBA Oceania Championship 1995
19972 FIBA Oceania Championship 1997
19991 FIBA Oceania Championship 1999
20011 FIBA Oceania Championship 2001
20032 FIBA Oceania Championship 2003
20052 FIBA Oceania Championship 2005
20072 FIBA Oceania Championship 2007
20091 FIBA Oceania Championship 2009
20112 FIBA Oceania Championship 2011
20132 FIBA Oceania Championship 2013
20152 FIBA Oceania Championship 2015

Commonwealth Games

FIBA Stanković Cup
  • 2007 Stanković Cup: Fifth Place
  • 2011/2 Stanković Cup: Champions
  • 2015 Stanković Cup: Champions

William Jones Cup

AusTiger International Basketball Tournament

Team

Current roster

Roster for the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

New Zealand national basketball team – 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos.No.NameAge – Date of birthHeightClubCtr.
G 0 Webster, Tai 24 – (1995-05-29)29 May 1995 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) Galatasaray
F 3 Delany, Finn 24 – (1995-08-12)August 12, 1995 2.00 m (6 ft 7 in) New Zealand Breakers
PG 5 Ili, Shea 26 – (1992-10-06)October 6, 1992 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) Melbourne United
PG 6 Kenny, Jarrod 33 – (1985-09-17)17 September 1985 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) Cairns Taipans
SG 9 Webster, Corey (C) 30 – (1988-11-29)29 November 1988 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) New Zealand Breakers
SF 10 Abercrombie, Thomas 32 – (1987-07-05)5 July 1987 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) New Zealand Breakers
C 14 Loe, Robert 28 – (1991-08-05)5 August 1991 2.11 m (6 ft 11 in) New Zealand Breakers
PF 16 Smith-Milner, Tohi 23 – (1995-10-06)October 6, 1995 2.05 m (6 ft 9 in) Melbourne United
SF 20 Ngatai, Jordan 26 – (1993-03-07)March 7, 1993 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in) New Zealand Breakers
SG 25 Rusbatch, Ethan 27 – (1992-05-04)4 May 1992 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) Hawke's Bay Hawks
C 35 Pledger, Alex 32 – (1987-03-27)March 27, 1987 2.15 m (7 ft 1 in) Melbourne United
PF 42 Fotu, Isaac 25 – (1993-12-18)18 December 1993 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) Universo Treviso Basket
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • Club – describes last
    club before the tournament
  • Age – describes age
    on 31 August 2019

Depth chart
Pos. Starting 5 Bench 1 Bench 2
C Steven Adams Alex Pledger Robert Loe
PF Isaac Fotu Tohi Smith-Milner
SF Thomas Abercrombie Finn Delany Jordan Ngatai
SG Corey Webster Ethan Rusbatch
PG Tai Webster Shea Ili Jarrod Kenny

Notable players

Probably the most well-known former New Zealand Tall Black player in the National Basketball Association (NBA) is former San Antonio Spurs forward Sean Marks. Another New Zealand player, former University of Wisconsin star Kirk Penney, briefly played in the NBA, and later played in the EuroLeague with Maccabi Tel Aviv and Žalgiris, after being released by the New Zealand Breakers. In past generations, players such as Stan Hill and Glen Denham, were well revered and respected players, who were the face of New Zealand basketball.

Past rosters

1986 World Championship: finished 21st among 24 teams

Gilbert Gordon, Peter Pokai, Stan Hill, Neil Stephens, Dave Edmonds, Ian Webb, Dave Mason, Tony Smith, Colin Crampton, Frank Mulvihill, Glen Denham, John Rademakers (Head Coach: Robert Bishop)

2000 Olympic Games: finished 11th among 12 teams

Sean Marks, Pero Cameron, Mark Dickel, Phill Jones, Kirk Penney, Robert Hickey, Nenad Vučinić, Tony Rampton, Paul Henare, Brad Riley, Ralph Lattimore, Peter Pokai (Head Coach: Keith Mair)

2002 World Championship: finished 4th among 16 teams

Sean Marks, Pero Cameron, Mark Dickel, Phill Jones, Kirk Penney, Robert Hickey, Dillon Boucher, Damon Rampton, Ed Book, Paul Henare, Paora Winitana, Judd Flavell (Head Coach: Tab Baldwin)

2004 Olympic Games: finished 10th among 12 teams

Sean Marks, Mark Dickel, Phill Jones, Pero Cameron, Kirk Penney, Dillon Boucher, Ed Book, Paul Henare, Paora Winitana, Tony Rampton, Aaron Olson, Craig Bradshaw (Head Coach: Tab Baldwin)

2006 World Championship: finished 16th among 24 teams

Kirk Penney, Pero Cameron, Phill Jones, Mark Dickel, Casey Frank, Paul Henare, Dillon Boucher, Paora Winitana, Tony Rampton, Craig Bradshaw, Aaron Olson, Mika Vukona (Head Coach: Tab Baldwin)

2010 World Championship: finished 12th among 24 teams

Thomas Abercrombie, Benny Anthony, Craig Bradshaw, Pero Cameron, Michael Fitchett, Casey Frank, Phill Jones, Jeremy Kench, Kirk Penney, Alex Pledger, Lindsay Tait, Mika Vukona (Head Coach: Nenad Vučinić)

New Zealand Tall Blacks – 2015 FIBA Oceania Championship roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos.No.NameAge – Date of birthHeightClub
PG 0 Ili, Shea 22 – (1992-10-06)6 October 1992 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) New Zealand Breakers
G/F 1 Te Rangi, Reuben 20 – (1994-10-14)14 October 1994 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) Brisbane Bullets
PG 4 Tait, Lindsay 33 – (1982-01-08)8 January 1982 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) Super City Rangers
SG 5 Bartlett, Everard 29 – (1986-02-06)6 February 1986 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) Southland Sharks
PG 6 Kenny, Jarrod 29 – (1985-09-17)17 September 1985 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) Perth Wildcats
F 7 Vukona, Mika (C) 33 – (1982-05-13)13 May 1982 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) New Zealand Breakers
G 9 Webster, Corey 26 – (1988-11-29)29 November 1988 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) New Zealand Breakers
SF 10 Abercrombie, Thomas 28 – (1987-07-05)5 July 1987 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) New Zealand Breakers
F/C 11 Wynyard, Tai 17 – (1998-02-05)5 February 1998 2.04 m (6 ft 8 in) Kentucky Wildcats
F/C 12 Fotu, Isaac 21 – (1993-12-18)18 December 1993 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) CAI Zaragoza
G/F 13 Prewster, Dion 25 – (1990-01-10)10 January 1990 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in) Wellington Saints
C 14 Loe, Robert 24 – (1991-08-05)5 August 1991 2.11 m (6 ft 11 in) New Zealand Breakers
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Video analyst
  • Judd Flavell
Scout
  • Tim Fanning
Strength and conditioning coach
  • Gavin Cross
Doctor
Physiotherapist
  • Anousith Bouaphone
Team manager
  • Andrew Dewhurst
Operations manager
  • Peter Kadar
Groupie/Ball bag
  • Greg Elliot
Cultural ambassador
  • Paora Winitana
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • Club – describes last
    club before the tournament
  • Age – describes age
    on 15 August 2015

Kit

Manufacturer

2015: Peak[2]

gollark: Just do HTTP manually, silly.
gollark: Kitten: fear applied pataphysics.
gollark: https://open.spotify.com/album/7tZo2dx2IQc8FSKuGYhfJQ
gollark: I'm glad we have a Haskell to Rust transpiler now.
gollark: My entry incorporates my universal segfault handler, fortunately.

References
  1. "FIBA Ranking Presented by Nike". FIBA. 3 March 2020. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
  2. 2015 FIBA Oceania Championship – New Zealand, FIBA.com, Retrieved 30 September 2015.
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