New Zealand Tall Blacks Squad Named

Head coach Pero Cameron has today named an extended squad of 19 men’s national team athletes in contention for the Tall Black’s upcoming FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Greece – with a place at the Paris Olympics 2024 on the line.

The 14 athletes in the Tall Black’s extended squad for the FIBA Olympic Qualifiers are: Flynn Cameron, Finn Delany, Ben Gold, Hyrum Harris, Tyrell Harrison, Shea Ili, Izayah Le’Afa, Jordan Ngatai, Tyrell Harrison, Ethan Rusbatch, Reuben Te Rangi, Tom Vodanovich, Sam Waardenburg, Corey Webster (188-SG-1988, college: Lambuth) and Yanni Wetzell.

In addition, five non-travelling reserves have been named as Taylor Britt, Dan Fotu, Sam Timmins, Taine Murray and Sam Mennenga. These players will be available for selection into the final squad in the event of injury or other unavailability.

The squad of 14 will first travel to Helsinki, Finland on 21 June to compete in a pair of friendly games against top-level European competition; facing world #20 ranked Finland on 26 June, followed by world #15 ranked Poland on 29 June.

Following this, a final Tall Blacks squad of 12 will travel to Piraeus, Greece from 2-7 July 2024 to participate in one of four Olympic Qualifying Tournaments being run by FIBA. Joining New Zealand in this tournament will be opponents Slovenia, Croatia, Greece, Egypt and Dominican Republic – with the team who finishes first earning a ticket to the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France.

If the Tall Blacks are able to win this qualifying tournament, they would progress to the Olympics for the first time in 20 years; their last appearance coming at the Athens Games back in 2004

The extended squad of 14 features a multitude of proven performers on the basketball world stage. Eight core players return from the FIBA World Cup team that competed in the Philippines last August, finishing with a 2-3 record to secure entry into this FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

Webster comes in with 93 Tall Blacks games under his belt – including two electrifying World Cup campaigns - and is a contender to crack the Centurion club by end of year. Meanwhile the trio of Harrison, Rusbatch and Vodanovich all suited up for the Tall Blacks at the Asia Cup Qualifiers in February this year, while Sam Waardenburg made his national team debut in last February against Saudi Arabia. Even the youngest player in the extended squad, 21-year-old Ben Gold, has played six games in the black jersey for New Zealand.

Tall Blacks Travelling Squad of 14 – FIBA Olympic Qualifiers 2024

Flynn Cameron, Taranaki Airs / Melbourne United

Finn Delany, Casademont Zaragoza / BNZ Breakers

Ben Gold, Marquette University

Hyrum Harris, Hawkes Bay Hawks / Perth Wildcats

Tyrell Harrison, Southern Districts Spartans / Brisbane Bullets

Shea Ili, Geelong United / Melbourne United

Izayah Le’Afa, Wellington Saints / Sydney Kings

Jordan Ngatai, Hawkes Bay Hawks

Ethan Rusbatch, Franklin Bulls

Reuben Te Rangi, Auckland Tuatara / S.E. Melbourne Phoenix

Tom Vodanovich, Auckland Tuatara

Sam Waardenburg, Cairns Taipans

Corey Webster, Canterbury Rams / Perth Wildcats

Yanni Wetzell, Alba Berlin