National Basketball League (New Zealand)

The National Basketball League, often abbreviated to the NBL, is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball

Basketball

Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...

league in New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

.

There were 10 teams in the 2010 season

2010 New Zealand NBL season

The 2010 New Zealand National Basketball League was the 29th season of the New Zealand NBL. In the 90-game regular season began on Thursday, 4 March and concluded on Friday, 19 June 2010....

with teams based in Christchurch

Christchurch

Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...

, Dunedin

Dunedin

Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...

, Hamilton

Hamilton, New Zealand

Hamilton is the centre of New Zealand's fourth largest urban area, and Hamilton City is the country's fourth largest territorial authority. Hamilton is in the Waikato Region of the North Island, approximately south of Auckland...

, Invercargill

Invercargill

Invercargill is the southernmost and westernmost city in New Zealand, and one of the southernmost cities in the world. It is the commercial centre of the Southland region. It lies in the heart of the wide expanse of the Southland Plains on the Oreti or New River some 18 km north of Bluff,...

, Nelson

Nelson, New Zealand

Nelson is a city on the eastern shores of Tasman Bay, and is the economic and cultural centre of the Nelson-Tasman region. Established in 1841, it is the second oldest settled city in New Zealand and the oldest in the South Island....

, New Plymouth

New Plymouth

New Plymouth is the major city of the Taranaki Region on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is named after Plymouth, Devon, England, from where the first English settlers migrated....

, North Shore, Palmerston North

Palmerston North

Palmerston North is the main city of the Manawatu-Wanganui region of the North Island of New Zealand. It is an inland city with a population of and is the country's seventh largest city and eighth largest urban area. Palmerston North is located in the eastern Manawatu Plains near the north bank...

, Taradale and Wellington

Wellington

Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...

. The Auckland Stars were suspended from the 2010 season

2010 New Zealand NBL season

The 2010 New Zealand National Basketball League was the 29th season of the New Zealand NBL. In the 90-game regular season began on Thursday, 4 March and concluded on Friday, 19 June 2010....

because of financial difficulties. Invercargill

Invercargill

-based club the Southland Sharks

Southland Sharks

The Southland Sharks are a professional basketball team based in the Southland region in the New Zealand National Basketball League.The team plays their home games at Invercargill's Stadium Southland where 3,000 of the 4,500 seats are made available for regular season games.-Establishment:The...

joined the competition in 2010

2010 New Zealand NBL season

The 2010 New Zealand National Basketball League was the 29th season of the New Zealand NBL. In the 90-game regular season began on Thursday, 4 March and concluded on Friday, 19 June 2010....

as well as the Otago Nuggets

Otago Nuggets

The OCEANAGOLD Nuggets, formerly the Otago Nuggets, are a New Zealand professional basketball team that play in the National Basketball League. They play their home games at the Edgar Centre in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand.-2006 season:...

rejoining the league after a one-year absence.

The league has a limit of two imports per side. Many of the imports used come from the ANBL

National Basketball League (Australasia)

The National Basketball League, also known as the iiNet NBL Championship for sponsorship reasons, is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in Australasia....

such as New Zealand Breakers

New Zealand Breakers

The New Zealand Breakers are a professional basketball team competing in the Australasian National Basketball League. The Breakers joined the NBL for the 2003/04 season as one of two expansion clubs. The club is based in the city of Auckland, New Zealand and play their home games at the North...

power forward

Power forward (basketball)

Power forward is a position in the sport of basketball. The position is referred to in playbook terms as the four position and is commonly abbreviated "PF". It has also been referred to as the "post" position. Power forwards play a role similar to that of center in what is called the "post" or "low...

Tony Ronaldson

Anthony Dean "Bear" Ronaldson is a former Australian basketball player who last played for the NZL National Basketball League team, Waikato Pistons.-Playing career:...

and Wollongong Hawks

Wollongong Hawks

The Wollongong Hawks are a team competing in Australia's National Basketball League , based in the New South Wales city of Wollongong. They won the NBL championship in 2001 and finished as runners-up in 2005 and 2010...

centre

Center (basketball)

The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...

Tim Behrendorff

Timothy "Tim" Behrendorff is an Australian basketball player. Behrendorff attended college at Gardner-Webb University in the United States from 2000-2004....

. Others come from the American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

college system like former Syracuse Orange

Syracuse Orange men's basketball

The Syracuse Orange men's basketball program is the intercollegiate men's basketball team representing Syracuse University. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I, and the team competes in the Big East Conference...

and then Wellington Saints

Wellington Saints

The Wellington Saints are a professional basketball team that play in the New Zealand National Basketball League. They play their home games at the TSB Bank Arena in Wellington, New Zealand. For sponsorship reasons, they are known as the Exodus Saints....

shooting guard

Shooting guard

The shooting guard , also known as the two or off guard, is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. Players of the position are often shorter, leaner, and quicker than forwards. A shooting guard's main objective is to score points for his team...

Eric Devendorf

Eric Devendorf is an American professional basketball player from Bay City, Michigan who came from Oak Hill Academy and played for the Syracuse University Orange. He currently plays for the Idaho Stampede of the NBA Development League....

.

The quality of play in the league continues to improve as more and more New Zealand players are playing higher levels of basketball like college

College basketball

College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....

, ANBL

National Basketball League (Australasia)

The National Basketball League, also known as the iiNet NBL Championship for sponsorship reasons, is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in Australasia....

and some even go onto make the NBA

National Basketball Association

The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...

such as former North Harbour Kings

Harbour Heat

The Harbour Heat are a New Zealand professional basketball team that competes in the National Basketball League . They play their home fixtures at the North Shore Events Centre in Auckland, Auckland Region.-Roster:-External links:...

star Kirk Penney

Kirk Penney

Kirk Samuel Penney is a New Zealander professional basketball player.-University of Wisconsin :...

who played for the Miami Heat

Miami Heat

The Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami...

and Los Angeles Clippers

Los Angeles Clippers

The Los Angeles Clippers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...

and is currently contracted to the Baloncesto Fuenlabrada

Baloncesto Fuenlabrada

Baloncesto Fuenlabrada, S.A.D. is a professional basketball team based in Fuenlabrada, Madrid, Spain, currently playing in the Liga ACB. The club was founded in 1981 as C.B. Fuenlabrada, and promoted to the Spanish Top Division in 1996...

in the Spainish

Spain

Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...

ACB.

Televised games have decreased since 2007 when TVNZ's television rights were sold to Sky TV

SKY Network Television

Sky Network Television Limited , , is a New Zealand pay television service. On 30 June 2011, Sky had 829,421 subscribers, which comprises:*808,617 digital subscribers*20,840 other subscribers...

, games were originally shown once a week but due to lack of demand only playoff games were shown mainly due Super Rugby, NRL

National Rugby League

The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...

and ANZ Championship

ANZ Championship

The ANZ Championship is the pre-eminent netball league in the world. The competition is held annually between April and July, comprising 69 matches played over 17 weeks. It is contested by ten teams, five from Australia and five from New Zealand...

games clashing with game times and a high interest by the public in those competitions. Southland Sharks

Southland Sharks

highlights and interviews have been shown on Cue TV.

History

In the late 1970s and early 1980s New Zealand provincial basketball was decreasing in numbers with potential players opting to play Rugby union

Rugby union

Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...

. Some might argue that the local associations who provided the organisational and much of the monetary support found themselves obligated to support their expensive NBL teams at the expense of the local games. Prior to the formation of the NBL, separate club and provincial championship tournaments existed on both regional and national levels, which didn't demand the same travel expenses as the NBL. Over a relatively short period of time basketball in New Zealand lost the magic and community of tournament basketball, found in places like Napier (Easter), New Plymouth (Queens Birthday weekend), Hastings or Palmerston North (Labour weekend) and many other regional leagues like the Big-8 or Big-10 or Central League competitions that raised a generation of New Zealand club and provincial champions in the 1970's. The New Zealand National Basketball League began in 1982 with Tall Blacks

New Zealand national basketball team

The New Zealand national basketball team represents New Zealand in international basketball competitions. It is nicknamed the Tall Blacks, derived from the name of New Zealand's Rugby union team, the All Blacks.-History:...

such as Stan Hill, Dave Edmonds, Peter Pokai and Tony Smith starring in the early years of competition. Imported players like Clyde Huntley, Kenny McFadden, Tyrone and Tony Brown added a level of sophistication and style to the Kiwi basketball scene.

The big city team such as the Auckland Stars, Canterbury Rams

Christchurch Cougars

The Christchurch Cougars are a professional men's basketball team based in Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand. They play in the New Zealand National Basketball League....

and Wellington Saints

Wellington Saints

dominated in early years, but when the Hutt Valley Lakers won 1991 and 1993 the star players began to spread out. The Nelson Giants

Nelson Giants

The Fico Finance Nelson Giants are a basketball team that play in the National Basketball League in New Zealand. Their home games are played at the Trafalgar Centre in Nelson....

won their first championship in 1994 and the Stars then became the first team to win three titles in a row from 1995-97. After the Waitakere Rangers, Hutt Valley Lakers and Northland Suns left in the late 1990s many thought the league would become much weaker but it proved the opposite, only the best New Zealanders and imports were selected due to the small size of the league at the time. The league continued to improve and became semi-professional with higher caliber players joining the league. High school standouts like former North Harbour Kings

Harbour Heat

player Kirk Penney

Kirk Penney

Kirk Samuel Penney is a New Zealander professional basketball player.-University of Wisconsin :...

chose to play in the league until they left to play college basketball

College basketball

and then Euroleague

Euroleague

Euroleague Basketball, commonly known as the Euroleague, is the highest level tier and most important professional club basketball competition in Europe, with teams from up to 18 different countries, members of FIBA Europe. For sponsorship reasons, for five seasons starting with 2010–2011, it is...

and NBA

National Basketball Association

.

When the New Zealand Breakers

New Zealand Breakers

was founded in 2003, it created an incentive to continue playing NBL for the star players with their good form rewarded with an ANBL

National Basketball League (Australasia)

The National Basketball League, also known as the iiNet NBL Championship for sponsorship reasons, is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in Australasia....

contract. Players like Dillon Boucher

Dillon Boucher

Dillon Boucher is a New Zealand professional basketball player.Boucher plays for the New Zealand Breakers in the Australian National Basketball League from their inception in 2003 until 2005 when he signed for the Perth Wildcats for whom he played in the 2005/06 Australian NBL season...

, Lindsay Tait

Lindsay Tait

Lindsay Tait is a professional New Zealand basketball player.Tait has played in the New Zealand NBL since 2000, winning three NBL titles with the Auckland Stars...

, Pero Cameron

Pero Cameron

Sean Pero MacPherson Cameron MNZM, known as "Pero", is a former New Zealand professional basketball player. Cameron captained the NZ National Team from 2000 - 2010...

, Phill Jones

Phill Jones

Phillip Charles George 'Phill' Jones is a New Zealand professional basketball player. Jones who stands at 1.96 metres tall, is the highest New Zealand points scorer in NBL history....

, Mark Dickel

Mark Dickel

Mark Dickel is a New Zealand professional basketball player. He also holds Australian citizenship. He plays the point guard position, and played the 2011 NBL season for the Southland Sharks, which saw him play under his brother.-College career:Dickel played college basketball in the U.S...

and Paora Winitana

Paora Winitana

Paora Winitana is a professional New Zealand basketball player. He was ordained as a Mormon bishop in 2005 and chooses not to play basketball on Sundays. He currently plays for the New Zealand NBL team Hawke's Bay Hawks...

became household names in New Zealand and Australian basketball circles. Breakers

New Zealand Breakers

imports like Tony Ronaldson

Tony Ronaldson

Anthony Dean "Bear" Ronaldson is a former Australian basketball player who last played for the NZL National Basketball League team, Waikato Pistons.-Playing career:...

and Oscar Forman

Oscar Forman

Oscar Forman is a basketball player who currently plays for the Wollongong Hawks in the Australian National Basketball League. Forman played for the Adelaide 36ers from 2001 until 2006, winning a championship in 2002, before moving to the Breakers at the end of the 2005-2006 season...

were used as well.

Current clubs

Team Name	Hometown	Coach	Titles	Arena
Auckland Pirates	Auckland Auckland The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...	Kenny Stone	9 (1982, 1983, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2004, 2005)	ASB Stadium Auckland Auckland The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
Harbour Heat Harbour Heat The Harbour Heat are a New Zealand professional basketball team that competes in the National Basketball League . They play their home fixtures at the North Shore Events Centre in Auckland, Auckland Region.-Roster:-External links:...	North Shore North Shore, New Zealand North Shore City was the name of a city that existed in the Auckland region of New Zealand from 1989 until 2010. The city had a population of making it the fourth most populous city in New Zealand prior to November 2010...	Judd Flavell	0	North Shore Events Centre North Shore Events Centre North Shore Events Centre is an indoor arena, located in Auckland, New Zealand. The arena opened in 1992 and has a capacity of 4,500 people.The Centre primarily hosts basketball games and is the home arena of the New Zealand Breakers who play in the Australasian NBL. It also hosts concerts and... Auckland Auckland The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
Hawke's Bay Hawks	Taradale	Paul Henare Paul Henare Paul Donald Henare is a former New Zealand professional basketball player who last played for the New Zealand Breakers in the Australasian National Basketball League....	1 (2006) \|align=center \| Pettigrew Green Arena Pettigrew Green Arena Pettigrew Green Arena is a multi-purpose indoor sports and entertainment centre in Taradale near Napier, New Zealand. The centre opened in April 2003, and regularly hosts volleyball, basketball and netball matches for Hawke's Bay representative teams. The main court has a capacity of 2,500... Taradale
Manawatu Jets Manawatu Jets The Manawatu Jets, formerly referred to as the Palmerston North Jets, are a professional basketball team that play in the New Zealand National Basketball League. They play their home games at Arena Manawatu in Palmerston North, New Zealand. The biggest signed import to play for the Jets was Brandon...	Palmerston North Palmerston North Palmerston North is the main city of the Manawatu-Wanganui region of the North Island of New Zealand. It is an inland city with a population of and is the country's seventh largest city and eighth largest urban area. Palmerston North is located in the eastern Manawatu Plains near the north bank...	Ryan Weisenberg Ryan Weisenberg Ryan Weisenberg, is an American basketball coach.Weisenberg attended St. Francis High School, a catholic high school in La Cañada Flintridge, California, where he lettered in basketball, football, and baseball. Weisenberg attended Azusa Pacific University, receiving a master in education, and...	0	Arena Manawatu Arena Manawatu Arena Manawatu is the current name of the 180,000 square metre publicly owned recreational complex just west of the Palmerston North city centre in the Manawatu-Wanganui region of New Zealand.It has three linked indoor stadiums, with movable tiered seating... Palmerston North Palmerston North Palmerston North is the main city of the Manawatu-Wanganui region of the North Island of New Zealand. It is an inland city with a population of and is the country's seventh largest city and eighth largest urban area. Palmerston North is located in the eastern Manawatu Plains near the north bank...
Nelson Giants Nelson Giants The Fico Finance Nelson Giants are a basketball team that play in the National Basketball League in New Zealand. Their home games are played at the Trafalgar Centre in Nelson....	Nelson Nelson, New Zealand Nelson is a city on the eastern shores of Tasman Bay, and is the economic and cultural centre of the Nelson-Tasman region. Established in 1841, it is the second oldest settled city in New Zealand and the oldest in the South Island....	Chris Tupu	3 (1994, 1998, 2007)	Trafalgar Centre Trafalgar Centre The Trafalgar Centre is a multipurpose events centre located in Nelson, New Zealand. The stadium was built in 1972 and opened in 1973. The main stadium holds up to 2,460 people. It can be used as two tennis courts or four basketball courts.-Home teams:... Nelson Nelson, New Zealand Nelson is a city on the eastern shores of Tasman Bay, and is the economic and cultural centre of the Nelson-Tasman region. Established in 1841, it is the second oldest settled city in New Zealand and the oldest in the South Island....
Otago Nuggets Otago Nuggets The OCEANAGOLD Nuggets, formerly the Otago Nuggets, are a New Zealand professional basketball team that play in the National Basketball League. They play their home games at the Edgar Centre in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand.-2006 season:...	Dunedin Dunedin Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...	Anthony Arlidge	0	Edgar Centre Dunedin Dunedin Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
Southland Sharks Southland Sharks The Southland Sharks are a professional basketball team based in the Southland region in the New Zealand National Basketball League.The team plays their home games at Invercargill's Stadium Southland where 3,000 of the 4,500 seats are made available for regular season games.-Establishment:The...	Invercargill Invercargill Invercargill is the southernmost and westernmost city in New Zealand, and one of the southernmost cities in the world. It is the commercial centre of the Southland region. It lies in the heart of the wide expanse of the Southland Plains on the Oreti or New River some 18 km north of Bluff,...

}
| align=center | Richard Dickel

Richard Dickel

Richard Dickel is the current coach of the Southland Sharks in the New Zealand National Basketball League . Dickel, who is based in Invercargill has previously played for the Waikato Pistons and Otago Nuggets in the NZNBL and has now began a career in coaching...

| align=center | 0
| align=center | Stadium Southland

Stadium Southland

Stadium Southland is an international sports complex in Invercargill, New Zealand. The stadium was completed in May 2000. The main SBS Sports Arena in the stadium has a capacity of 4,500, with temporary seating...

Invercargill

|-
| Taranaki Mountainairs
Taranaki Mountainairs
Taranaki Mountain Airs are a New Zealand professional basketball team that compete in the National Basketball League. They have previously been known as the New Plymouth Bulls , the Taranaki Bears , the Taranaki Oilers and the Devon Dynamos Taranaki .They play their home games at TSB Stadium in...

| align=center | New Plymouth

New Plymouth

New Plymouth

|-
| Wellington Saints
Wellington Saints
The Wellington Saints are a professional basketball team that play in the New Zealand National Basketball League. They play their home games at the TSB Bank Arena in Wellington, New Zealand. For sponsorship reasons, they are known as the Exodus Saints....

| align=center | Wellington

Wellington

| align=center |
| align=center | Pero Cameron

Pero Cameron

Sean Pero MacPherson Cameron MNZM, known as "Pero", is a former New Zealand professional basketball player. Cameron captained the NZ National Team from 2000 - 2010...

| align=center | 7 (1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 2003, 2010

2010 New Zealand NBL season

The 2010 New Zealand National Basketball League was the 29th season of the New Zealand NBL. In the 90-game regular season began on Thursday, 4 March and concluded on Friday, 19 June 2010....

, 2011)
| align=center | TSB Bank Arena

TSB Bank Arena

The TSB Bank Arena, formerly known as the Queens Wharf Events Centre, is an indoor arena, located in Wellington, New Zealand. The arena hosts mainly basketball games and is the home arena for the Century City Saints and part-time home arena of the New Zealand Breakers when they play in Wellington,...

Wellington

|-
|}

Former and defunct clubs

The league has a number of defunct clubs, the most recent ones are:

Waitakere Rangers (left 1995)
Hutt Valley Lakers (left 1996)
Northland Suns (left 1998)
Canterbury Rams
Christchurch Cougars
The Christchurch Cougars are a professional men's basketball team based in Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand. They play in the New Zealand National Basketball League....

(replaced in 2009 by the Christchurch Cougars
Christchurch Cougars
The Christchurch Cougars are a professional men's basketball team based in Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand. They play in the New Zealand National Basketball League....

)
Auckland Stars (suspended in 2010, replaced in 2011 by the Auckland Pirates)
Harbour Heat
Harbour Heat
The Harbour Heat are a New Zealand professional basketball team that competes in the National Basketball League . They play their home fixtures at the North Shore Events Centre in Auckland, Auckland Region.-Roster:-External links:...

(pulled out of the 2011 season due to financial difficulties, scheduled to come back in 2012)
Christchurch Cougars
Christchurch Cougars
The Christchurch Cougars are a professional men's basketball team based in Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand. They play in the New Zealand National Basketball League....

(pulled out of 2011 & 2012 season due to the 2011 Christchurch earthquake
2011 Christchurch earthquake
The February 2011 Christchurch earthquake was a magnitude 6.3 earthquake that struck the Canterbury region in New Zealand's South Island at on local time , The earthquake was centred west of the town of Lyttelton, and south-east of the centre of Christchurch, New Zealand's second-most populous...

, will be back in 2013)
Waikato Pistons (pulled out of the 2012 season due to financial difficulties, will be back in 2013)

Competition format

The eleven sides in the New Zealand NBL play 20 regular season fixtures, with each side playing each other once at their home arena and also once away at their opponents venue. At the end of the regular season the top ranked teams plays the fourth ranked side. The side which finished second hosts the third placed side. The winners of these two semi final match ups progress onto the NZ NBL Grand Final, played at the higher placed team's venue.

Broadcasting details

In recent years, the NZ National Basketball League (NBL) has started to gain greater television coverage. In 2003, the NBL signed a deal with TVNZ for TV 2 to become the official "home of hoops." In 2005, games that were televised included a Friday night NBL fixture that was shown at 10:30 pm. In 2006, TV 2 televised the game of the round at 11:30am on Saturdays. Over the last few seasons, the semi-final and grand final fixtures have been shown live. In addition to this, TV 2 often have live coverage of the Tall Blacks

New Zealand national basketball team

games played in New Zealand. Current commentators include Bob Manthei, a former New Zealand Breakers

New Zealand Breakers

and Waikato Titans head coach, Jeff Green, and former Tall Black Chris Tupu. From 2007 onwards it has been confirmed that Sky Sport

SKY Sport (New Zealand)

Sky Sport is a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by New Zealand's satellite pay-TV company, Sky Network Television. Sky Sport 1 was launched in 1990...

(Pay TV) will cover a live fixture each week. Commentators are likely to include Jason Costigan.

Imports in the league

The New Zealand NBL has usually allowed each side to play with two non-New Zealand citizens (imports or restricted players ). From 2001-2003 however the league believed that overseas players were detracting from giving New Zealand-born players significant minutes and playing time in the league and as a result, one import only was permitted per side. In the past, the NZ NBL sides have usually relied on Americans to fill their import player positions. These American players have usually been players who have had fairly good collegiate basketball careers, but who were not good enough to make it into the NBA. In 2004 the trend of using American imports started to change though with New Zealand gaining a professional side the Breakers in the Australian NBL. Many of the NZ NBL clubs began to use Australians for their imports, as the Australian NBL league does not run at the same time as the New Zealand NBL and many of the Australian players wanted to keep in shape over their off-season. In 2003 the Taranaki Mountain Airs pulled off a major coup by signing Link Abrams, the most consistent and dominant player over the past few seasons.

Restricted players who have stood out over the last few seasons have been John Whorton (Canterbury), Mike Pegues (Canterbury/Otago), Greg Lewis (Waikato), Ryan Prillman (Canterbury), Dusty Rychart (Hawke's Bay), Jacob Holmes

Jacob Holmes

Jacob Holmes is an Australian professional basketball player who plays for the Townsville Crocodiles in the Australian National Basketball League. He has been playing for Sturt in the Australian Basketball Association in the NBL off-season. He won the Central ABL's Woollacott Medal for Best &...

and Josh Pace

Josh Pace

Josh Pace is an American professional basketball player. A former college basketball player for the Syracuse Orange, he playes for the Hawke's Bay Hawks in the New Zealand National Basketball League.-High school:...

(Nelson) and David Cooper (Manawatu).

In the recently completed 2006 season American guards Garry-Hill Thomas of Taranaki and Dennis Trammell

Dennis Trammell

Dennis Trammell , is a professional basketball player who played for the Canterbury Rams in the New Zealand National Basketball League ....

of the Canterbury Rams

Christchurch Cougars

The Christchurch Cougars are a professional men's basketball team based in Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand. They play in the New Zealand National Basketball League....

were the league's leading scorers with both averaging 25 points a game. Otago's American forward Branduinn Fullove and Nick Horvath of the Wellington Saints

Wellington Saints

a former Duke Blue Devils

Duke Blue Devils

Duke University's 26 varsity sports teams, known as the Blue Devils, compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The name comes from the French "les Diables Bleus" or "the Blue Devils," which was the nickname given during World War I to the Chasseurs Alpins, the French Alpine light infantry...

standout, excelled also.

New Zealanders in the league

Many New Zealanders who play for the New Zealand Breakers

New Zealand Breakers

and the national side, The Tall Blacks

New Zealand national basketball team

, have played in the NBL since its inception. In recent years, "Tall Black" heroes who have dominated in the local New Zealand league have been Dillon Boucher

Dillon Boucher

, Lindsay Tait

Lindsay Tait

Lindsay Tait is a professional New Zealand basketball player.Tait has played in the New Zealand NBL since 2000, winning three NBL titles with the Auckland Stars...

and Aaron Olson

Aaron Olson

Aaron Duane Olson is a former professional basketball player who played for the New Zealand Breakers in the Australasian National Basketball League...

(Auckland Stars), Paul Henare

Paul Henare

Paul Donald Henare is a former New Zealand professional basketball player who last played for the New Zealand Breakers in the Australasian National Basketball League....

and Paora Winitana

Paora Winitana

(Hawke's Bay Hawks), Pero Cameron

Pero Cameron

Sean Pero MacPherson Cameron MNZM, known as "Pero", is a former New Zealand professional basketball player. Cameron captained the NZ National Team from 2000 - 2010...

(Waikato Titans), Mark Dickel

Mark Dickel

(Otago Nuggets

Otago Nuggets

), Damon Rampton (Taranaki Mountainairs

Taranaki Mountainairs

Taranaki Mountain Airs are a New Zealand professional basketball team that compete in the National Basketball League. They have previously been known as the New Plymouth Bulls , the Taranaki Bears , the Taranaki Oilers and the Devon Dynamos Taranaki .They play their home games at TSB Stadium in...

), Phill Jones

Phill Jones

Phillip Charles George 'Phill' Jones is a New Zealand professional basketball player. Jones who stands at 1.96 metres tall, is the highest New Zealand points scorer in NBL history....

and Ed Book

Ed Book

Ed Book is a retired American-New Zealand professional basketball player. Book who stands at 2.10 metres tall, came from America to New Zealand in 1994 to play in the New Zealand National Basketball League.At the 2002 FIBA World Championship Book was a stand out player for the Tall Blacks,...

(Nelson Giants

Nelson Giants

The Fico Finance Nelson Giants are a basketball team that play in the National Basketball League in New Zealand. Their home games are played at the Trafalgar Centre in Nelson....

). Tall Black Kirk Penney

Kirk Penney

Kirk Samuel Penney is a New Zealander professional basketball player.-University of Wisconsin :...

, who has played in the NBA

National Basketball Association

for the Miami Heat

Miami Heat

and Los Angeles Clippers

Los Angeles Clippers

as well as for Maccabi Tel Aviv in Israel

Israel

The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...

, had previously played in the NBL in the late 1990s for the North Harbour Kings

Harbour Heat

List of Champions

Since its beginning and to the present day Auckland has been the benchmark of the NZ domestic basketball league. They have won the most titles out of any team: 9. Next best is Wellington with 7, Canterbury (4), Waikato (4), Nelson (3), Hutt Valley (2) and in 2006 Hawke's Bay won their first ever NBL title. In 2007 Nelson won their first title since 1998, giving veteran Centre Ed Book

Ed Book

his first ever NBL championship.

1982 Auckland Rebels
1983 Auckland Rebels
1984 Wellington Saints
Wellington Saints
The Wellington Saints are a professional basketball team that play in the New Zealand National Basketball League. They play their home games at the TSB Bank Arena in Wellington, New Zealand. For sponsorship reasons, they are known as the Exodus Saints....
1985 Wellington Saints
Wellington Saints
The Wellington Saints are a professional basketball team that play in the New Zealand National Basketball League. They play their home games at the TSB Bank Arena in Wellington, New Zealand. For sponsorship reasons, they are known as the Exodus Saints....
1986 Canterbury Rams
Christchurch Cougars
The Christchurch Cougars are a professional men's basketball team based in Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand. They play in the New Zealand National Basketball League....
1987 Wellington Saints
Wellington Saints
The Wellington Saints are a professional basketball team that play in the New Zealand National Basketball League. They play their home games at the TSB Bank Arena in Wellington, New Zealand. For sponsorship reasons, they are known as the Exodus Saints....
1988 Wellington Saints
Wellington Saints
The Wellington Saints are a professional basketball team that play in the New Zealand National Basketball League. They play their home games at the TSB Bank Arena in Wellington, New Zealand. For sponsorship reasons, they are known as the Exodus Saints....
1989 Canterbury Rams
Christchurch Cougars
The Christchurch Cougars are a professional men's basketball team based in Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand. They play in the New Zealand National Basketball League....
1990 Canterbury Rams
Christchurch Cougars
The Christchurch Cougars are a professional men's basketball team based in Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand. They play in the New Zealand National Basketball League....
1991 Hutt Valley Lakers
1992 Canterbury Rams
Christchurch Cougars
The Christchurch Cougars are a professional men's basketball team based in Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand. They play in the New Zealand National Basketball League....
1993 Hutt Valley Lakers
1994 Nelson Giants
Nelson Giants
The Fico Finance Nelson Giants are a basketball team that play in the National Basketball League in New Zealand. Their home games are played at the Trafalgar Centre in Nelson....
1995 Auckland Rebels
1996 Auckland Rebels
1997 Auckland Rebels
1998 Nelson Giants
Nelson Giants
The Fico Finance Nelson Giants are a basketball team that play in the National Basketball League in New Zealand. Their home games are played at the Trafalgar Centre in Nelson....
1999 Auckland Rebels
2000 Auckland Rebels
2001 Waikato Titans
2002 Waikato Titans
2003 Wellington Saints
Wellington Saints
The Wellington Saints are a professional basketball team that play in the New Zealand National Basketball League. They play their home games at the TSB Bank Arena in Wellington, New Zealand. For sponsorship reasons, they are known as the Exodus Saints....
2004 Auckland Stars
2005 Auckland Stars
2006 Hawke's Bay Hawks
2007 Nelson Giants
Nelson Giants
The Fico Finance Nelson Giants are a basketball team that play in the National Basketball League in New Zealand. Their home games are played at the Trafalgar Centre in Nelson....
2008 Waikato Pistons
2009 Waikato Pistons
2010
2010 New Zealand NBL season
The 2010 New Zealand National Basketball League was the 29th season of the New Zealand NBL. In the 90-game regular season began on Thursday, 4 March and concluded on Friday, 19 June 2010....

Wellington Saints
Wellington Saints
The Wellington Saints are a professional basketball team that play in the New Zealand National Basketball League. They play their home games at the TSB Bank Arena in Wellington, New Zealand. For sponsorship reasons, they are known as the Exodus Saints....
2011 Wellington Saints
Wellington Saints
The Wellington Saints are a professional basketball team that play in the New Zealand National Basketball League. They play their home games at the TSB Bank Arena in Wellington, New Zealand. For sponsorship reasons, they are known as the Exodus Saints....

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.

History

Current clubs

Former and defunct clubs

Competition format

Broadcasting details

Imports in the league

New Zealanders in the league

List of Champions

See also

External links