Denhym Brooke

Position: Forward

Height: 204cm

Born: 7 July, 1996

Junior Association: North Harbour

High School: Rangitoto College

Highest Representative Honour – NZ U18 Team (2013)

Previous NBL Clubs: Super City Rangers (2019), Taranaki Mountain Airs (2020), Franklin Bulls (2021-22), Hawks (2023)

Played all 18 games for the Bulls in their inaugural NBL season in 2021. Led the team in blocked shots (1.5bpg) whilst also averaging 11.6 and 5.2 rebounds per game.

Followed that with 8.8 points and 5.1 rebounds per game in 14 appearances in 2022.

Following high school Brooke spent four years at colleges in Hawaii. Initially he attended BYU Hawaii and then transferred to Hawaii at Hilo (both NCAA Division II colleges).

In his senior year at Hilo (2018-19) he averaged 6.9 points and led the team in blocks with 1.6 per game.

Jack Crossan

Position: Guard

Height: 181cm

Born: 14 June, 2002

Junior Association: South Canterbury

High School: Timaru Boys High School

Previous NBL Clubs: Rookie

Played all his junior representative basketball in the Canterbury region.

Crossan was a NZ U16 trialist in 2016.

Hyrum Harris

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 another productive season for the Hawks in 2022 averaging 14.2 points, 8.6 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game.

Scored 22 points in the NBL Grand Final defeat to the Saints in 2021.

Has played four seasons in the Australian NBL: Illawarra Hawks (2019-20), Cairns Taipans (2020-21) and Adelaide 36ers (2021-23).

Debuted for the Tall Blacks in 2020.

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

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.

Kobe 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 and a further 2 games in 2022.

Jarrod Kenny

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.

Ira Lee (Import)

Position: Forward

Height: 203cm

Born: 19 March, 1998

High School: Crossroads High School

Previous NBL clubs: Rookie

Most recently played in Finland for the Vilpas club averaging 15.3 points and 9 rebounds per game.

Played 4 years at the University of Arizona playing 112 games for the Wildcats. His most productive season was as a sophomore when he averaged 6.6 points and 4.2 rebounds.

Transferred to George Washington University for his final year of eligibility (2021-22) but did not play after suffering a ruptured tendon in his knee..

Father Zeph Lee is a former running back with the LA Raiders.

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 and 3 games in 2022.

Jordan Ngatai

Position: Forward

Height: 196cm

Born: 7 March, 1993

Junior Association: Porirua

High School: Mana College

Highest Honour: Tall Blacks – Debut: 2013

Previous NBL Clubs – Otago Nuggets (2021)Wellington Saints (2012, 2014 & 2017-19 & 2022), Manawatu Jets (2015) Taranaki Mountain Airs (2016)

2022 will be Ngatai’s 10^th season playing in the NBL – played 18 games for the Saints in 2022 averaging 8.7 points and 4.3 rebounds per game.

A four-time NBL Championship winner (three with the Saints one with the Nuggets), he missed the 2021 NBL season due to injury.

Named to the All-Star 5 at the 2020 NBL Showdown after guiding the Nuggets to a championship win.

Ngatai also played eight seasons in the Australian NBL including six seasons with the Breakers enjoying championship success in 2014-15. Played for Cairns Taipans from 2020-22.

Has made over 60 appearances for the Tall Blacks since debuting in 2013.

Following school Ngatai played one year at Sierra Junior College followed by another year at  Brigham Young University (BYU), Hawaii in 2013-14.

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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-present)

2022 is the 13^th season in the NBL for Raukawa.

Played 18 games for the Hawks in 2022 averaging 13.5 points and 3.9 assists per game. Made 40 from 90 3-pointers at a career high 44.4%.

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

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

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.

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-present)

A veteran of 151 NBL appearances Rusbatch played 18 games for the Hawks in 2021 averaging 17.7 points and 3.4 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.

An ever present with the Tall Blacks during their qualifying campaign for the 2023 FIBA World Cup.

Rusbatch 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.

Joshua Tutagalevao

Position: Forward

Height: 192cm

Born: 13 January, 2002

Junior Association: Hutt Valley

High School: St Pat’s, Silverstream

Previous NBL Clubs – Saints (2021)

Played 3 games for the Saints in 2022 – scored 10 points on debut against the Sharks.

Played for the Wellington team that finished runners-up at the 2021 U19 National Championships.

Graduated from St Pat’s College in 2019

Everard Bartlett (Head Coach)

Kaine Hokianga (Assistant Coach)