Ben Adamson

Position: Forward

Height: 206cm

Born: 17 February, 2002

Junior Association: Counties Manukau

High School: Howick College

Previous NBL clubs – Rookie

Played for Elias Titans in Darwin 2021 averaging 15.5 points and 7.4 rebounds per game.

A trained barber.

Tajuan Agee (Tier 2)

Position: Forward

Height: 206cm

Born: 12 November, 1997

High School: Hyde Park Academy HS, Chicago

Previous NBL clubs – Rookie

American forward Tajuan Agee joins the Hawks after a season playing in Germany for Rasta Vechta where, over 24 games, he averaged 9.4 points and 4.3 rebounds per game.

Played two years at junior college then two years at Iona College (NCAA Division I) – graduated in 2020.

His first professional contract was in Bulgaria (2020-21) with Balkan Botevgrad.

He was 6’0 tall when he started high school but grew 3 inches every year and so had to switch from being a guard to a forward.

Derek Albertsen

Position: Guard

Height: 182cm

Born: 10 June, 1994

Junior Association: Taranaki

High School: New Plymouth Boys High School

Previous NBL clubs – Canterbury Rams (2017 and 2021), Taranaki Mountain Airs (2012 and 2014-15), Otago Nuggets (2013)

Played 15 games for the Rams in 2021 averaging 3.5 points per game.

Played for the Airs in 2012 whilst still at school then had a season with the Nuggets when he was studying at Otago University.

Has played club basketball in Christchurch since moving to the city in 2015.

Quintin Bailey

Position: Forward

Height: 201cm

Born: 20 December, 1997

Junior Association: Taranaki

High School: Stratford High School

Previous NBL clubs – Taranaki Mountain Airs (2014-2016 and 2018-19), Canterbury Rams (2020-21)

Played 18 games for the Rams in 2021 averaging 8.7 points and 3.6 rebounds per game.

Following high school went to Citrus College (JUCO) in Glendora, California for two years. Then spent two years at John Brown University (NAIA) in Arkansas before graduating in 2020. He played 30 games for the Golden Eagles in his senior year finishing second on the rebounding list (5.6rpg) and also averaged 10 points per game.

Bailey was named to the Tournament Team at the 2016 ‘A’ National Secondary Schools Championships where Stratford High were beaten in the Final by Melville High School.

Played through the junior age-groups for Taranaki

Everard Bartlett

Position: Guard

Height: 193cm

Born: 6 February, 1986

Junior Association: Hawkes Bay

High School: Church College

Highest Representative Honour – Tall Blacks Debut: 2012 (55 appearances)

Previous NBL clubs – Hawkes Bay (2005-2014 & 2017-2019 & 2021-present), Southland Sharks (2016), Franklin Bulls (2020)

One of the veterans of the League Bartlett averaged 10 points per game for the Franklin Bulls in 2020 shooting the three-ball at 44% (39/89).

Made his NZNBL debut in 2005 and 2022 is his 14th season with the Hawks.

Played for the Tall Blacks at the 2014 FIBA World Championships in Spain. Played five seasons in Tall Blacks colours (2012-2016).

Played in the Australian NBL for NZ Breakers (2006-7 and 2015-16), Perth Wildcats (2011-13) and Adelaide 36ers (2011-12).

Bartlett also played in Iceland in the 2007-2008 European season.

Clifton Bush III

Position: Small Forward

Height: 198cm

Born: 7 August, 2002

Junior Association: Hawkes Bay

High School: Napier Boys High School

Highest Representative Honour – Named to the Junior Tall Blacks in 2020.

Previous NBL clubs – Hawkes Bay (2019 and 2021-present)

Played just one game for the Hawks in 2021.

Played for Hawkes Bay at the 2021 U19 National Championships.

Graduated from Napier Boys HS in 2020.

Dad Clifton Bush Jnr played in the NBL for the Hawks.

Jack Exeter

Position: Guard

Height: 185cm

Born: 1 November, 2000

Junior Association: North Canterbury

High School: Rangiora High School

 Previous NBL clubs – Canterbury Rams (2020-21)

Averaged 4.2ppg for the Rams in his rookie NBL season in 2020.

Played 24 games for the Rams before heading to the Hawks.

Tommy Fergusson

Position: Forward

Height: 203cm

Born: 14 November, 2002

Junior Association: Hawkes Bay

High School: Lindisfarne College/ Napier Boys High School

Highest Representative Honour – Named to the Junior Tall Blacks in 2020.

Previous NBL clubs – Hawks (2021-present)

Played 8 games for the Hawks in 2021.

Named to the Tournament Team at both the 2021 U19 and U23 National Championships.

Graduated from Napier Boys High School in 2020.

Jakob Gooch

Position:

Height:

Born: 21 July, 2003

Junior Association: Hawkes Bay

High School: Napier Boys’ High School

Previous NBL clubs – Rookie

Played for Hawkes Bay at the 2021 U19 National Championships.

Jordan Hunt

Position: Forward/Centre

Height: 205cm

Born: 12 September, 1997

Junior Association: Hutt Valley

High School: Hutt Valley High School

Previous NBL Clubs – Wellington Saints (2016), Otago Nuggets (2020), Bay Hawks (2021-22)

Played 13 games for the Hawks in 2021 averaging 11.2 points and 4.2 rebounds per game.

Hunt won an NBL title with the Otago Nuggets in 2020. His 21 points in the 79-77 Grand Final win against Manawatu Jets earned him the Grand Final MVP Award.

In 2020-21 he was a Development Player with the Cairns Taipans.

After high school Hunt headed to Southern Oregon University (NCAA Division II)  on a four-year scholarship.

In his senior year (2019-20) he finished second in scoring (12.9ppg) and third in rebounding (5.6rpg) for the Raiders. He finished his career with 1147 points, the 11th highest scorer all-time at SOU, and 741 rebounds to place 8th in programme history.

In his junior year Hunt was named to the Academic All-Cascade Conference team for the second straight season.

Named to the 2019 NZ U23 Tournament Team after helping Wellington/Hutt Valley claim the National title – scored 17 points in the 93-74 win against Manawatu in the Grand Final.

Hyrum Harris (Tier 2)

Position: Forward

Height: 198cm

Born: 3 June, 1996

Junior Association: Rotorua

High School: Fraser High School

Highest Honour: Tall Blacks – Debut in 2022

Previous NBL Clubs – Super City Rangers (2016,2017), Southland Sharks (2019), Manawatu Jets (2020), Bay Hawks (2018 and 2021-present),

Had a very productive season for the Hawks in 2021 averaging 13.1 points, 8.1 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game. Scored 22 points in the NBL Grand Final defeat to the Saints.

Played at Umpqua Community College, Oregon, 2015-16.

Following his time in the States he joined the Super City Rangers and also played for the Bay Hawks.

Has played three seasons in the Australian NBL: Illawarra Hawks (2019-20), Cairns Taipans (2020-21) and Adelaide 36ers (2021-22).

Koba Kara

Position: Forward

Height: 190cm

Born: 5 September, 2001

Junior Association: Hawkes Bay

High School: Napier Boys High School

Previous NBL clubs – Hawks (2021-present)

Played 4 games for the Hawks in 2021.

Jarrod Kenny (Tier 2)

Position: Guard

Height: 188cm

Born: 17 September 1985

Junior Association: North Harbour

High School: Westlake Boys High School

Highest Representative Honour – Tall Blacks (Appearances 70)

Previous NBL Clubs – Harbour Heat (2002-08), Bay Hawks (2009-15, 2017-19 and 2021-present), Nelson Giants (2016), Otago Nuggets (2020)

Approaching 200 games for the Hawks Kenny averaged 5.3 points and 3.6 assists per game  in 2021.

Led the Nuggets to the 2020 NBL Championship – averaged 11.2 and 5.1 assists per game

Won the Dave Taylor Award in 2019 for Most Assists in the NBL, averaging 6.5apg.

Played three seasons with the Perth Wildcats in the Australian NBL and won back-to-back Championships with the Wildcats in 2016 and 2017 since playing four seasons with the Cairns Taipans.

A member of the victorious Tall Blacks team that defeated Australia in Brisbane in February 2020. One of just three survivors, along with Loe and Vukona, from the team that beat Australia to win the 2009 FIBA Oceania Championships 10 years earlier.

Was a member of the bronze medal winning team at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and has played at both the 2014 FIBA World Championship in Spain and 2019 World Cup in China.

Jacob Murphy

Position: Guard

Height: 188cm

Born: 19 March, 2002

Junior Association: Hawkes Bay

High School: Napier Boys High School

Previous NBL clubs – Hawks (2021-present)

Played 9 games for the Hawks in 2021

Kendyl Nelson-Graham

Position: Forward

Height:

Born:

Junior Association: Tauranga City

High School: Mount Maunganui College

Previous NBL clubs – Rookie

Derone Raukawa

Position: Guard

Height: 182cm

Born: 24 July, 1994

Junior Association: Tauranga City

High Schools: Otumoetai College/Rosmini College/Rangitoto College

Highest Honour: Tall Blacks – Debut in 2016 (Appearances 21)

Previous NBL Clubs – Waikato Pistons (2013), Manawatu Jets (2014-2015), Southland Sharks (2016-2018), Taranaki Mountain Airs (2019-20), Hawkes Bay Hawks (2021-22)

Played 18 games for the Hawks in 2021 averaging 12.3 points and 3.6 assists per game.

Named to the 2020 Sal’s NBL All-Star Five after averaging 23.9 points and 7.3 assists per game.

Averaged 10.0 points per game for the Tall Blacks at the 2017 FIBA Asia Cup in Lebanon and was also a member of the bronze medal winning team at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Averaged 9.0 points and 3.3 assists per game for the NBL Championship winning Sharks in 2018.

Ethan Rusbatch

Position: Guard

Height: 1.96m

Born: 24 May, 1992

Junior Association: Canterbury

High School: Cashmere High School

Highest Honour: Tall Blacks – Debut in 2016 (Appearances 35)

Previous NBL Clubs – Southland Sharks (2012), Taranaki Mountain Airs (2013), Canterbury Rams (2014-17), Hawks (2018-19 & 21-22)

Played 19 games for the Hawks in 2021 averaging 16.8 points and 4.2 rebounds per game.

Won NBL Most Improved Player Award in 2019 after averaging 20.3 points per game – his three-point shooting percentage was an impressive 43.2%.

Played 16 games for the Breakers in 2019-20.

Rusbatch was a member of the victorious Tall Blacks team that defeated Australia in Brisbane in February 2020.

Was a member of the bronze medal winning team at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and went on to play at the 2019 FIBA World Cup in China.

After a year at Lincoln Trail Junior College, Illinois, Rusbatch joined the Southland Sharks in 2012. He then went on to play a season with Taranaki Mountain Airs in 2013. From 2014-2017 Rusbatch played for the Canterbury Rams averaging 12.9 points per game in 72 appearances.

Jack Salt (Tier 2)

Position: Centre

Height: 208cm

Born: 11 February, 1996

Junior Association: North Harbour

High School: Westlake Boys High School

Previous NBL clubs – Super City Rangers (2013), Waikato Pistons (2014), Canterbury Rams (2021)

Highest Honour – Tall Blacks – debut 2013 (13 appearances)

Salt played nine games for the Rams in 2021 averaging 13.3 points and 8.7 rebounds per game.

Played for Brisbane Bullets in the 2021-22 Australian NBL.

Spent four years at University of Virginia where he played 127 games for the Cavaliers. He was the starting centre for the Cavaliers for his Junior and Senior seasons and was co-captain in both those years, 2017-18 and 2018-19. In his senior year Virginia were crowned NCAA champions, Salt becoming the only Kiwi to win an NCAA Division I title.

Received the prestigious the Crowley Scholarship, awarded at Virginia for demonstrating outstanding leadership, sportsmanship, character and integrity.

Helped Westlake Boys win back-to-back National Secondary Schools Championships in 2012 and 2013. Made his debut for the Tall Blacks on a tour of China whilst still at school.

Ezra Smiler

Position: Guard

Height: 188cm

Born: 12 November, 2000

Junior Association: Waikato

High School: Fraser High School

Previous NBL clubs – Rookie

Cousin Caleb Smiler is playing for Taranaki Airs – the pair were members of the Fraser High School team that won the 2021 Secondary Schools 3×3 National title.

Michael Woodbridge

Position: Guard

Height: 187cm

Born: 12 May, 1995

High School: Munich International School

Previous NBL Clubs – Hawks (2021-present)

Played 6 games for the Hawks in 2021.

Woodbridge was born in NZ but spent most of his school years in Europe and the States.