Justin Nelson Reflects on Seven Years with a Q & A
After seven years of service, guidance and leadership across the Sal’s NBL, Justin Nelson is stepping down from his role in Aotearoa and moving back to Melbourne to join the Australian NBL. To sit down for one final conversation to reflect on his time in New Zealand, league innovations, the missteps and what he sees in the future for New Zealand basketball.
I think most people view me as a straight-shooter, so I’ll be honest - the league wasn’t in good shape when I arrived ahead of the 2019 season. The league had no money, no television deal, only Sal’s as a cash-paying sponsor, and unfortunately a few negative people with a voice who took pleasure in kicking the competition rather than picking it up and loving it. My best summation would be not enough people cared, but I saw that as a big opportunity - I felt that if we could raise the bar and give people a competition to care about, we would eventually win them over and do some amazing and positive things. My first ever game involved laying three charges against Jeff Green and I think some of those early decisions around behaviour, lifting standards, driving more accountability and cleaning up the rules was welcomed by many people who had drifted away and become disenchanted with the league. The other early standout was the imbalance of the competition - the financial and competitive gap between teams made it a bad business and hard for fans to truly invest in. Thankfully, I think we have moved right away from that over the last seven seasons, and it's become so hard to pick a winner in most games. Overall, behaviour and standards are better, we look and feel a lot more professional, and the outside world takes us more seriously and I think more people genuinely care about their team and the league now, so I'm very happy with that.
Q. What have been some of your biggest frustrations across the journey?
There are always lots of little frustrations, that’s sport, but probably only a few big ones. I think mainstream media has very little understanding of just how big basketball is right across the country and just how important the homegrown Kiwi leagues are to their regions and communities - the media need to do more to service and connect with young people and they are missing out by not showing and talking more about basketball. I get frustrated when people make comments about a situation without fact-checking first, that's a big one. Some of the complete inaccuracies bandied about by faceless people on social media are laughable, but that’s the world we sadly live in these days. The last frustration is at times we don't push ourselves enough and to readily accept mediocrity - we are capable of so many great things in sport, but things like cost, lack of skill sets or just fear of failure hold us back too often. It’s a hump we need to get over. I love seeing others succeed and I’ll always back someone who has a go and has a faith over fear mindset. Making mistakes is ok, it’s what makes us better.
Q: The 2020 Sal’s NBL Showdown came during a global crisis. What do you remember most about that time, and how did it shape the league?
What a whirlwind that was. When I came up with the idea of staging a sports bubble during the most challenging and scary time in people’s lives, I copped a lot of negative feedback. The keyboard warriors were out in full force. It was upsetting to see negative attitudes around the league and sport in general, but we were all going through a life event that terrified many people, so I understood the emotion. However, we pushed on, I had many amazing people in my corner, we rolled up our sleeves and we got to work. Despite the positive changes and growth in 2019, I knew if we closed down the 2020 season the league might not survive. I am so thankful to the seven teams and 84 players who supported the concept. The Showdown was the first Covid sports bubble in the world, it thrust New Zealand Basketball onto the main stage, we had a big spotlight on us and it gave us so many new fans around the world. It brought the league to ESPN and an American audience, and it showed that by embracing change and innovation a sports business can not only survive, but it can thrive. And proudly, while other domestic NZ sports leagues were given millions of dollars by Sport NZ to help them survive, we were given very little financial support but still won an award from Sport NZ for our response to Covid. That was quite humbling. So, I'm really pleased how we rallied and worked together to deliver the Showdown, and it started with people believing in change and innovation. So many people deserve credit for that event and I'm thankful to every single one of them for supporting me, and the league.
Q: Rapid League has been a unique addition to the basketball landscape. What inspired its creation, and how do you see its impact moving forward?
Now that we see Rapid League on court most people ask me why it wasn’t invented years ago, so I think that shows how unique and beneficial it is. It’s likely Rapid League will end up being the biggest innovation in terms of its impact on so many different levels. The innovation came from a collection of questions that centred on creating more basketball content for television, teams, sponsors and fans at no ( or very little) additional cost. But the one big thing for me, the hook to the whole innovation, which is only the bench players can play, came from my long-held belief that basketball is one of the most difficult sports on the planet for players to mentally cope with. There aren’t too many sports where more players sit on the bench than those who are out in the middle playing, and I have seen so many players walk away from basketball because they don’t get the chance to play or are sick of sitting on the bench all the time. Rapid League has changed all of that, and the rapid player development that has been achieved is there for all to see. Players want to play, and they need to play to develop and get better, just like in any sport or job. There is no question in my mind that every player at some stage in their career, and every league around the world, would benefit from having Rapid League. I’ll never forget the day Rapid League popped into my head, it felt so right and has proven to be a winner. I hope Rapid League takes off outside of New Zealand and the world remembers that it was Kiwis who started it.
Q: Tauihi Basketball Aotearoa launched during your tenure and has quickly built momentum. What does Tauihi mean for the sport in New Zealand?
As much as Rapid League and the 2020 Showdown have been amazing for the growth of basketball in New Zealand, it’s the formation of Tauihi I am most proud of. Our elite female basketball players exist in a sport played by 200 countries globally, unlike some other sports that compete in a far smaller pool of nations, yet the opportunities for basketball players on home soil was far from acceptable, much less ideal. Our players were essentially invisible and that needed to change. Under the previous model where players represented a local association, there were no wages or regular competition, training was ad-hoc and media attention was almost non-existent. I love women’s basketball and the formation of Tauihi has been another game-changer. Kiwis now have a recognised and respected competition, and as a result I see New Zealand being a permanent fixture inside the top 15-20 nations on the world stage. The other big benefit will be all the Kiwis who can now use Tauihi as a springboard to being a pro player in other parts of the world or come home from those other leagues and play in front of family and friends. Tauihi started with pay equality and has since gone beyond that. Tauihi will always be close to my heart, I'm so happy for the players most of all because the creation of Tauihi was absolutely about them. I always walk away with a smile on my face and a tear in my eye when a Tauihi player stops and says thank you – you can’t buy moments like that, just hearing that this competition has made such a difference to their aspirations and career.
Q: You also introduced new things like player timeouts and the mid-season Trade Window. What was the motivation behind these, and how do you think it has changed the game and competitive dynamic?
With things like the trade window and player timeouts it's always about creating more talking points to drive interest amongst the fans. It really is that simple. What do fans want? What interest them? How can we be more relevant to today’s young and emerging fans who are looking to latch onto and follow a sport for life? Players and coaches in sport need to adapt to new things, and old-school administrators in the boardroom need to pull their head out of the sand or get out, because none of us will have jobs in sport if we don't have fans. Today’s fans think differently, they want new things they can engage with and talk about, so it's important we accept and try new things. The player timeouts add heightened opportunities to win games, and it gives the players on the court the chance to think strategically and make decisions, which I know they really enjoy. With the trade window, I have always said it will take teams and players a few years to fully understand how to use the trade window to their advantage. The trade window is about opportunity, but it is also about driving attention and relevancy through the mid part of the season when a season can start to feel stale if your team isn't in the hunt.
Q: Not every initiative goes to plan. What are your thoughts looking back on the Indian Panthers and other projects that didn’t quite come together?
Innovation almost always leads people to having faith or fear in something they cannot see. I’ll always sit firmly in the faith camp, but I have done this stuff long enough to know that the success of any innovation mostly relies on others, not just one person, and not every innovation works. As an innovator you need to accept the risk of failure as being a part of the ambition to grow and create new things, it comes with the territory. The Panthers concept was a very clever vision which had the potential for much upside for the League, Sky and the country generally, ahead of its time in a country like New Zealand, but it wasn’t a first, for instance there was a Korean baseball team in the Australian Baseball League for a number of years, so the model has proven to work previously. When we looked at the backers, there was a very substantial financial backing and they were investing millions in their own league so it seemed clear to us that they were invested in basketball on a substantial scale for the medium to long term. Where the Panthers came unstuck was that, unbeknownst to the League, the backers behind the venture proposed to cash flow the business out of day to day revenues. My key takeaway from the Panthers, similar to the demise of the Southern Huskies and Supercity Rangers in 2019, is that not everyone understands the requirements of running a sports business, no matter how much money they have. I know a few people have taken aim at me for the Panthers not working out, and that's ok, I'll wear the criticism, but I can assure everyone that I am just as disappointed as they are, and I too feel let down by the demise of the Panthers. I’m front facing here in NZ and those owners are hidden, so it’s easier for people to lay blame at my feet or target the league when they don’t know or can’t see who actually failed to deliver the goods.
Q: After seven years with and around the Sal’s NBL and basketball in New Zealand, how do you reflect on the journey overall?
The three words that immediately come to mind are growth, innovation and fans. It’s been a challenging journey, no question, but equally it has been very rewarding. At first, as an Australian, I definitely suffered from feeling like an outsider, but once I toned down the Aussie in me more people came to embrace my way of thinking and also helped to instill a bit of Kiwi into the way I do things, and I’ve really enjoyed that. I've tried through work and my commentary to embrace Kiwi culture and to fit in. From a basketball perspective, my biggest reflection is the juice has been worth the squeeze - I have put every ounce of energy into this job, I always have two feet on the bus and go as hard as possible, that’s just who I am. And I feel like positive progress has been made and hope observers see the same. The journey has been filled with hurdles, opportunities, accomplishments, and fun - but more importantly it has been filled with meeting so many new people and visiting new places.
Q: What are you most proud of when you look at the league today compared to where it was when you began?
I’m mostly proud of the fact that more people care about it today compared to back when I started. Of the 16 men’s and women’s teams in the NZNBL and Tauihi, I think 13 are now privately owned, which means we have a lot of owners who care enough to spend their own money. There are more fans and viewers in NZ and around the world than ever before, attendances keep rising, and the number of young fans at games just blows me away. The kids are besotted with basketball, and the game’s culture like fashion, shoes and music – other sports just don’t have those same offerings where culture is as big as, or maybe even bigger than the game. NZNBL and Tauihi fans are passionate and connected, we have competitively balanced competitions, and I think the players respect the level they are playing at. On a personal front, I’m just happy basketball is being recognised and that across the three leagues we now have about 350 games each year on television - that's an incredible shop window for the game and is helping drive participation numbers to unprecedented levels. I feel like the leagues are healthy, vibrant and financially sustainable, which is a long way from where we were at the end of 2018. All of those things make me proud.
Q: What do you hope people remember most about your time with the Sal’s NBL?
That I had a red-hot go and I wasn’t afraid to think differently, and that I always valued the fans above all else. I hope people respect that elevating basketball in New Zealand has been a hard job and some tough decisions were needed. I value the people who were supportive and were open to giving things a go – they know who they are, and I say thank you to them. And hopefully people will remember me as someone who understood and promoted what business we are in – this is an entertainment business where you can socialise, create lifelong memories and be with your friends and family, where you can engage and belong. I know there are still people out there in all sports who don’t like changes and innovations, and who don’t understand the importance of entertainment over high performance, and that’s ok, but if you are one of these people my advice is to find innovators and support them - I think the NZ basketball fraternity has largely done that for me and the benefits have hopefully been worth that support. Thank you.
Q: How has your time with the NBL influenced your own growth as a leader and innovator in sport?
I think doing this job in another country (outside of Australia) has helped me to better understand the dynamic and necessity of embracing culture and people in sport. The Australian sports industry is way more cut-throat than in New Zealand, and in some ways I think Kiwis need to be more cut-throat in order to really elevate in sport, but equally I also like the relaxed community feel where it’s a bit more caring and balanced. I’d like to think I have become a better and more mindful leader - the balance between pushing people and stopping and listening to them is always difficult when you are trying to raise standards - but I want to empower those around me a bit more these days. From an innovation viewpoint, because basketball has embraced my thinking and innovations there is no doubt I am more confident about my ability to design and deliver good things. When you see any of your innovations work it drives you to keep looking for the next one, and that’s been a real area of growth for me.
Q: What excites you most about the future of basketball in New Zealand, both for the men’s and women’s games?
The opportunity that exists for young Kiwis to pick up a basketball and give it a go, that excites me for sure. I actually really don’t care what sport kids play, I just want them to be active. I left school and home when I was 14 years old and thankfully, I had sport - every kid needs sport in their lives, they really do. For the here and now, we have elite level men's and women's basketball across the country, fans can turn on Sky and watch every game, and the world is watching as well. I love the entertainment you get at a game, and the fact you can meet the players straight after the final buzzer - these are the things that matter most to fans. I feel like NZ basketball can really launch from here. And while some might find his boring, what excites me the most is we now have teams in the NZNBL and Tauihi that are completely focused on the business they are in, focused on the fans and putting on an entertaining show. The days of thinking you can only be a successful sports business if you spend big dollars and win every game are long gone - the focus is now on so much more than just winning games and that’s exciting for the future of these leagues. I feel like that’s the job I was brought here to do.
Q: Any people you want to thank or mention?
Firstly, this journey has never been about me, it’s always been about us – so many people have helped, and I feel like basketball today has way more capability to succeed through its people. Personally, I'd like to thank former BBNZ chief executive Iain Potter for bringing me to New Zealand and giving me his full support from day one. Iain encouraged me to do my thing, to do it my way, and he gave me a clear runway. I really respect Iain as a leader, he’s one of the very best that I’ve worked with. In sport you need leaders who empower you and accept there will be some bumps along the way - Iain’s that person, and I’ve tried to lead the same way. Thank you to Sky and all the sponsors, especially the people at Sal's and G.J. Gardner Homes, all the teams and team owners, the coaches and players, those in the media who have been supportive, and importantly the league staff and the production and commentary crew at Sky - I've been helped, guided and surrounded by so many outstanding people. Of course, a massive thank you to the fans – so many awesome people out there with genuine love for their team and the game. Most of all, to my wife Sandra for enduring lots of travel and time away from home, so many long days and nights, and what must feel like a million phone calls. She has been the ultimate trooper and has also loved being a Kiwi with me.
Q: Any final message to the players, coaches, clubs, fans, and league staff as you close this chapter?
Think big, be bold and courageous. Don’t shy away from innovation, give things a go and embrace change. And understand that to deliver great things you need each other, and need to be respectful of each other. Don’t throw rocks at the game, work together, collaborate and celebrate your achievements. You are all a part of a game that is adored by so many people, basketball is quickly becoming the sport of choice for Kiwis, so enjoy the ride and remember that it’s supposed to be fun and entertaining. You are custodians for the next players, coaches, administrators, and fans, you don’t own the game, so take good care of it and hand it off to the next generation in a better place than when you found it.
Q: And finally, are we likely to see you back in New Zealand one day?
Never say never, I always roll with that when it comes to work and life. This is a beautiful country and will always feel like a place to call home. Who knows where the journey will take us.
