New Zealand a Hotbed of NBL Talent

The New Zealand Breakers were, at one point, the only hotbed of Kiwi talent in the NBL. That, however, is absolutely not the case anymore.

As the rosters currently stand, it’s the Perth Wildcats who have the most New Zealand-representative talent to call on for NBL24, through Corey and Tai Webster, Hyrum Harris, Dontae Russo-Nance and Jack Andrew, while young stars Sam Waardenburg and Sam Mennenga are calling Cairns home.

Former Breaker and NBL23 Defensive Player of the Year nominee Shea Ili has also established himself as one of the top guards in the competition, through his time at Melbourne United.

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With development players like Tasmania’s Walter Brown and South East Melbourne’s Anzac Rissetto also flying the flag for the up-and-coming generation of New Zealand talent in Australia, there’s plenty of talent floating around in New Zealand that could easily make the leap over the Tasman Sea.

“Cal Macrae just finished his college career with Sacramento State,” NZNBL expert and NBL commentator Casey Frank told NBL Media. “He’s a big seven-footer who’s probably a few kilograms over where he needs to be.

“He had his Sal’s NBL debut this past week and dropped 26 points. He’s got a really nice, soft touch, and he’s got the size to really be a threat at that next level.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">A DIME FROM MCNAUGHT TO MCRAE ?<br><br>The Nelson Giants lead 95-92 with 26.7 second to go <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SalsNBL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SalsNBL</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/skysportnz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@skysportnz</a> <a href="https://t.co/kuzUrUgghD">pic.twitter.com/kuzUrUgghD</a></p>&mdash; Sal’s NBL (@nznbl) <a href="https://twitter.com/nznbl/status/1667770280914337794?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 11, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

“There’s a kid playing with Walter Brown in Christchurch who I like named Kaia Isaac. He’s shooting just under 50 per cent from the three-point line and he’s only 18 or 19 years old. He’s got a good frame, good strength, and some of those elite shooting skills that I think teams are going to be demanding.

“There are guys not just in the Sal’s NBL though, but guys who are trying to make their way over to the States – a lot of young kids from this part of the world are now going over and trying high school over there for a couple of years before coming back.”

The jewel in the crown of New Zealand’s next generation of hoopers is one of a handful of prospects to have made that high school move to the other side of the world and, given he’s just signed a three-year deal with the Perth Wildcats, it’s far to say it’s a gamble that paid off for highly-rated prospect Dontae Russo-Nance.

Russo-Nance will begin his NBL career as a development player for NBL24, before becoming a part of the main roster for the following two seasons.

“Watching Dontae come up from five or six years old, everywhere he’s gone he’s just been dribbling a basketball.” Frank continued.

“I know his dad well through playing with and against him, and seeing what Dontae was in a professional environment in the Sal’s NBL as a 15 or 16 year old, he’s a true professional.

“I think in a couple of years those fans out in Perth are going to be really impressed by his ability to develop and become that next level player.”

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Jeez, <a href="https://twitter.com/PerthWildcats?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PerthWildcats</a> recruit Dontae Russo-Nance can get to the rack ?‍?<br><br>From Auckland ?? Oak Hill ?? Perth, the kid is a walking bucket ? <a href="https://t.co/BfhVAiuBRL">pic.twitter.com/BfhVAiuBRL</a></p>&mdash; NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1664433859168198656?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 2, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

And if you weren’t sure if there was enough burgeoning New Zealand talent to keep an eye on, Frank has you covered with a list of emerging talent that could, one day, grace the NBL.

“Matt Freeman is a bit older and has played two seasons in Germany, but he has good size and shooting ability, and Charlie Daulton was just named MVP of the New Zealand U20s – he’s one with great instincts and toughness.

“Carin Davidson is playing for Taranaki and is an elite jumping athlete with good length – he’s really developed after a year in the States.

“Another big-time talent would be Merrik Rillistone out of Hamilton. He’s a high school sophomore now, but he has a real professional upside.

“And Will Short has got a chance to be a real one. He’s at DME Academy in the States.”

The New Zealand Tall Blacks will make another appearance at this year’s FIBA World Cup, and have been drawn in a tough group alongside the USA, Greece and Jordan.