Experienced Tall Blacks Squad Named

It will be one of the most experienced teams in recent times when the Tall Blacks roll out in Auckland come July when they take on the Philippines and Guam, and it'll be one that excites a lot of New Zealand hoops fans.

New Zealand Tall Blacks Head Coach, Judd Flavell, has selected his squad for window three of the 2027 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers, with eight returnees from February's away window in the Philippines and Guam, where the team had two wins.

Taylor Britt, Carlin Davison, Sam Mennenga, Taine Murray, Jordan Ngatai, Tohi Smith-Milner, Reuben Te Rangi and Sam Timmins will all return for the second consecutive FIBA World Cup Qualifying window.

The return of these players for this window, a great indicator for Coach Judd Flavell around what the team is building.

“It's great to have the continuity. It's always been an important piece for any Tall Black team.”

“Part of the reason these camps and windows are so important are because you get to work on that. But you also get to work your pieces in and see where this team could look further down the road. There's some great depth there across the board.”

“You look at the roster we've constructed, and you step back and look at it and you go... wow, we've got a lot of guys that have worn the Tall Blacks singlet for a long time but a mix of enthusiasm with those younger guys too.”

Joining the squad for this window will be FIBA Asia Cup standout Mojave King, and veteran guards Shea Ili and Tai Webster (193-G-1995, college: Nebraska).

Webster will be playing in his first Tall Blacks game since the 2019 FIBA World Cup in China where he averaged 13.4 points and 4.8 assists per game.

The NBL's two-time Defensive Player of the Year, Shea Ili, with add to his 73 Tall Black appearances in this window, his first since May 2025 (v Australia at Sunshine Coast).

“Shea and Tai are two guys that have great experience on the international scene, it's great to have them available.”

“This will be the first time suiting up for Tai in a few years now, so it's great to welcome him back into the mix. The way that he's been playing, firstly getting his body healthy which has been the first priority for him, but we're excited to have him back in camp.”

“Shea is obviously another one who's had some injuries in the past, and we've been monitoring him from afar. But again, we're excited and it's great that he's available for this window.”

Also joining the squad, will be his newly signed Melbourne United teammate, Sam Waardenburg. The centre signing with the six-time NBL championships in free agency, after spending his first four years in the league in Far North Queensland with the Cairns Taipans.

The impressive young centre has struggled with injuries over the past couple of years, but has remained impressive in his limited games for the Taipans averaging 15.5 points and 5.4 rebounds per contest in the eight games he played in the 2025-26 NBL season.

“Sam is someone who has been available in the past, and again just unfortunate circumstances with injuries and what happens in the game of basketball.”

“But this guy has been keen and wants to be apart of the Tall Blacks, and now we get to have him back in.”

The Tauranga Whai will have three players representing them in the Tall Blacks squad for the first time in the team's three-year existence with Taine Murray, Jordan Ngatai and Reuben Te Rangi all likely to play vital roles in the team's rotation across this third qualifying window.

Should he feature in both games this window, Canterbury's Taylor Britt will also bring up 50 appearances in the black singlet. Since making his debut in 2020 against Australia, Taylor has been a key contributor for the Tall Blacks across multiple campaigns.

“I think Taylor Britt is exactly what embodies a Tall Black. Whenever I put out the call to him, he's always a yes. No questions asked, no hesitation.”

Since the Tall Blacks return from the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in 2024, Britt has been involved in all but one of the teams 22 games to this point, sitting out just one FIBA Asia Cup warm-up game against the Guangdong Tigers last year.

“He's a growing leader. Leading with just the way he plays the game, and with Taylor it's never about him.It's always about the bigger picture.”

Britt will become the sixth Tall Black in this Tall Blacks squad to notch up 50 games for the Tall Blacks, joining Ili, Ngatai, Tohi Smith-Milner, Te Rangi and Webster.

“It's a well deserved 50 games. I couldn't be happier for the guy really, I think it's a significant achievement for anyone to play that amount of games for your national team.”

July 3rd's Spark Arena re-match with the Philippines is the perfect match-up for 2026's Tall Blacks home opener, with the squad playing against Guam at Eventfinda Stadium on July 6, in what will be the last time to see the Tall Blacks live in 2026.

“Firstly, full respect to these two nations. When it comes to the Philippines, we seem to know a bit about each other now. This will be our fifth match-up with them in the last two years.”

His squad currently on a four game win-streak against Gilas Pilipinas, including the their last win against them, a tight 69-66 victory in Manila in February's window.

“The atmosphere at Spark is going to be electric. Knowing the Filipino fans, we know it's going to be loud, it's going to be a party atmosphere. It's not a new experience for us, but it's always a great experience.”

TALL BLACKS SQUAD FOR FIBA WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS: WINDOW 3

G Taylor Britt, Canterbury Rams (48 games)
G/F Carlin Davison, BNZ Breakers & Wellington Saints (18 games)
G Shea Ili, Melbourne United (73 games)
G Mojave King, Mykonos (13 games)
F Sam Mennenga, BNZ Breakers (10 games)
G Taine Murray, Brisbane Bullets & Tauranga Whai (25 games)
G/F Jordan Ngatai, Tauranga Whai (95 games)
F/C Tohi Smith-Milner, Brisbane Bullets & Nelson Giants (81 games)
F Reuben Te Rangi, BNZ Breakers & Tauranga Whai (76 games)
C Sam Timmins, Southland Sharks (29 games)
C Sam Waardenburg, Melbourne United & Indios de Mayaguez (PUR), (4 games)
G Tai Webster, Manawatu Jets (54 games)