Yuat Alok

Position: Centre

Height: 211cm

Born: 1 January, 1997 in Kenya

Junior Association: Auckland

High School: Rangitoto College

Previous NBL Clubs – Rookie

He began his professional career playing in Cyprus (2022-23) before playing the most recent European season with the KK Alkar Sinj club in the Croatian Premier League.

Following high school Alok played the 2014-15 ANBL Championship winning season with the Breakers as a Development player. Played two ANBL games scoring his only two points against Perth Wildcats.

Graduated from New Mexico State University in 2022 where he averaged 4.7ppg in 30 appearances for the Aggies. Played a total of 51 NCAA Division I games.

Prior to his year at New Mexico he played at Coppin State University, Texas Christian University and Chipola College. At the conclusion of his second year at Chipola (2017-18) he was rated the third best junior college recruit in the nation.

Ben Ayre (Import)

Position: Guard

Height: 188cm

Born: 8 December, 1995 in Melbourne

High School: De La Salle College, Melbourne

Previous NBL Clubs – Rookie

Following high school played two years Junior College at Skagit Valley College followed by two years at Newman University (NCAA Division II). In his senior year (2018-19) averaged 12.9 points and 4.6 assists per game.

Played in Lithuania in 2020 otherwise has developed his career in Australia.

Most recently played in the Australian NBL for South East Melbourne Phoenix having also played two seasons for Cairns Taipans and one for the Adelaide 36ers.

Has also played NBL1 for Nunawading Spectres, Knox Raiders, Cairns Marlins and in 2023 for Sandringham Sabres where he earned All-Star Five honours in NBL1 South.

Malik Benlevi (Import)

Position: Forward

Height: 198cm

Born: 20 March, 1997 in Savannah, Georgia

High School: Jenkins High School

Previous NBL Clubs – Rookie

Since graduating from Georgia State University in 2019 has played in Mexico, Iceland, Finland and most recently Canada for the Saskatchewan Rattlers.

Averaged 8.9 points and 5.5 rebounds in the 2023 Canadian-CEBL (Canadian Elite Basketball League) season.

Played 48 games for the Salt Lake City Stars in the NBA G League between 2019 and 2021.

Played 130 games for Georgia State Panthers captaining the team in his junior and senior years.

Started all 32 games and averaged 11.9 points and 5.8 rebounds in his senior year (2018-19). Was named the Sun Belt Conference Tournament Most Valuable Player as the Panthers clinched the conference championship. Were beaten by the University of Houston in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. 

Josh Crowley

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 2021-23)

Played all 19 games for the Hawks in 2023 averaging 13.8 points, 9.3 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game. 

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

His career high of 26 points came against the Hawks when playing for the Sharks in 2019.

Has played five seasons in the Australian NBL: Illawarra Hawks (2019-20), Cairns Taipans (2020-21), Adelaide 36ers (2021-23) and most recently the Perth Wildcats (2023-24).

Played 11 of the 13 games played by the Tall Blacks in the 2023 calendar year including 4 games at the 2023 FIBA World Cup.

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

Rangimarie Dougall-Mita

Position: Guard

Height: 190cm

Born: 14 October, 1999

Junior Association: Manawatu

High School: St Pat’s College, Silverstream/ Palmerston North Boys High School

Previous NBL clubs – Manawatu Jets (2018-19, Wellington Saints 2021-present)

Dougall-Mita played 16 games for the Saints in 2023 averaging 4.3ppg. 

Had made 67 NBL appearances prior to the start of the 2024 season – 43 of those for the Saints. Played for the Saints team that finished runners-up at the 2023 3×3 Cup.

Scored a career high 19 points against the Sharks in April 2022.

He missed the 2020 season while recovering from an ACL injury.

Was a standout for the Saints who finished runners-up in the 3×3 Cup in 2023. He was named to the All-Star 4 after finishing as the leading scorer at the Cup.

Played for New Zealand at the U18 3X3 World Cup in China in 2017.

Kazlo Evans Jr.

Position: Guard

Height: 180cm

Born: 23 October, 2003

Junior Association: Waikato

High School: St Kentigern College, Auckland

Previous NBL clubs – Nelson Giants (2023)

Made his NBL debut against the Tuatara in the opening round of the 2023 season – played 4 games for the Giants.

A member of the St Kentigern College team that won the 2019 Secondary Schools National Championship playing alongside Giants teammate Alex McNaught.

Plyed for South Adelaide Panthers in NBL1 Central in 2022.

Dropped 47 points, including 12 three-pointers, for St Kentigern College against Mt Albert Grammar in May 2021.

Named MVP at 2020 U17 National Championships after leading Waikato to the title. 

Father Kazlo Evans is a former NBL player.

Kawharu Hippolite

Position: Forward

Height: 191cm

Born: 3 January, 2003

Junior Association: Porirua

High School: Mana College

NBL Clubs – Saints (2022-present)

Debuted against the Sharks in April, 2022 and has subsequently played 11 games for the Saints (9 games in 2023).

Played for the silver medal winning Saints team at the 2023 3×3 Cup.

Graduated from Mana College in 2021.

Lat Mayen (Import)

Position: Forward

Height: 206cm

Born: 16 August, 1998 in South Sudan

High School: 

Previous NBL Clubs – Rookie

After two years at the Australian Institute of Sport Mayen spent five years at college in the States.

Spent the first two years at Texas Christian then a year at Chipola College followed by the last two at the University of Nebraska. Averaged 8.6 points and 4.6 rebounds across 31 games in his senior year with the Cornhuskers (2021-22).

In 2023 averaged 19.9 points and 8.1 rebounds for Bendigo Braves in NBL1 South. 

Has played 43 games over the last two Australian NBL seasons with the Cairns Taipans. In the 2023-24 season averaged 6.9 points and 3.5 rebounds per game.

Born in South Sudan and raised in Adelaide.

Izayah Mauriohooho-Le’afa

Position: Guard

Height: 1.88m

Born: 7 November, 1996

Junior Association: Hutt Valley

High School: St Pat’s, Wellington

Highest Representative Honour: Tall Blacks – Debut 2013 (Appearances 10)

Previous NBL Clubs: Auckland Huskies (2020), Wellington Saints (2013-2015 & 2023) 

Played 10 games for the Saints in 2023 – averaged 17ppg and shot the 3-ball at 47% (31/66).

Played all 5 games for the Tall Blacks at the 2023 FIBA World Cup averaging 12.8 points, 3.6 assists and 2.2 steals per game.

Has scored 1009 points in 123 games in his four-year Australian NBL career to date. His first two seasons were with South East Melbourne Phoenix and the last two seasons with the New Zealand Breakers. 

Following high school headed to Sacramento State University on a 4-year scholarship. He finished his Hornets career in 2020 as a Top 10 programme leader in a variety of statistical categories including second in starts (108), fourth in steals (149), sixth in 3-pointers made (187) and eighth in assists (302). His 941 career points ranks 20th all-time for SSU.

At just 16 years and 262 days he became the youngest players to put on a Tall Blacks singlet playing all 8 games on the 2013 China tour plus the two FIBA Oceania Championship games that followed against Australia. He is currently the second youngest as Tai Wynyard was capped when 102 days younger.

Noah McKenzie

Position: Forward

Height: 195cm

Born: 2 November,  2003

Junior Association: 

High School: 

Previous NBL Clubs – Rookie

Hassan Muir

Position: Guard

Height: 180cm

Born: 27 March, 2005

Junior Association: Hutt Valley

High School: St Pat’s College, Silverstream

Previous NBL Clubs – Rookie

Scored a team high 18 points for St Pat’s Silverstream in the Wellington School’s Championship (Pholen Trophy) Grand Final win over Wellington in 2022. It was  the first time the school had won the trophy – also runners-up in 2023.

Arthur Pilcher

Position: Guard

Height: 189cm

Born: 27 April, 2004

Junior Association: Wellington

High School: 

Previous NBL Clubs – Rookie

Troy Plumtree

Position: Small forward

Height: 200cm

Born: 17 January 2007

Junior Association: Wellington

High School: Wellington College

Previous NBL Clubs – Rookie

Averaged 10 points and 8.7 rebounds as New Zealand finished runners-up to Australia at the 2023 FIBA U16 Asian Championship in Qatar.

Led Wellington College to the 2023 Wellington Schools (Pohlen Trophy) title and the 2023 NZ Secondary Schools National Championships.

Named to the Tournament Team at both events as well as at the 2023 U17 National Championships.

Comes from a rugby playing family. Father John coached the Hurricanes, Wellington and was an assistant coach with the All Blacks while brother Taine is a Welsh international.

Tohi Smith-Milner

Position: Forward

Height: 206cm

Born: 6 October, 1995

Junior Association: Waitakere 

High School: Rosmini  College

Highest Representative Honour – Tall Blacks – Debut 2014 

Previous NBL clubs – Auckland Pirated (2012), Super City Rangers (2014 and 2015) Canterbury Rams (2017) Nelson Giants (2018) Auckland Huskies (2020), Wellington Saints (2021 and 2023)

Averaged 12.4 points and 7.4 rebounds for the Saints in 2023. Was also a member of their championship winning team in 2021.

Smith-Milner has played 102 NBL games.

He joined Melbourne United in 2015 as a Development Player and played five seasons with the Australian NBL club winning a championship in 2018. Then played two seasons with South East Melbourne Phoenix before moving to the Adelaide 36ers for the 2023-24 season.

Smith-Milner has played 64 games for the Tall Black since debuting against Korea in Tauranga in 2014. Was a member of the bronze medal winning team at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. 

Smith-Milner enjoyed an outstanding tournament at the 2022 FIBA Asia Cup. He scored 25 points (14pts in fourth quarter) to carry the Tall Blacks to an 83-75 victory in the bronze medal game against Jordan – named to the tournament All Star Five.

Helped Rosmini College win their first Secondary Schools National title in 2011. After school Smith-Milner attended Polk State College, Florida for one year.

Alex Taylor

Position: Forward

Height: 190cm

Born: 12 July,  2004

Junior Association: 

High School: 

Previous NBL Clubs – Rookie

Tyson Thata-Paese

Position: Guard

Height: 189cm

Born: 14 October,  2001

Junior Association: Wellington

High School: Tawa College

Previous NBL Clubs – Rookie

Part  of the standout Tawa College teams of 2019 and 2020 that also featured Ben and Sam Gold.

Josh Tutagalevao

Position: Forward

Height: 192cm

Born: 13 January, 2002

Junior Association: Hutt Valley

High School: St Pat’s, Silverstream

Previous NBL Clubs – Saints (2022), Hawks (2023)

Played 8 games for the Hawks in 2023.

Played 3 games for the Saints in 2022 – scored 10 points on debut against the Sharks which remains his NBL career best.

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

Graduated from St Pat’s College in 2019

Zico Coronel (Head Coach)

Troy McLean (Assistant Coach)

Jackson Stubbins (Assistant Coach)