Young Auckland basketball Cooper Te Ratana has signed with the Auckland Tuatara as an amateur player for the 2025 Sal’s NBL season.
The 16-year-old St Kentigern College student has strong ties to both the Tuatara and the national league.
Older brother Hunter Te Ratana played with the Tuatara in 2024 before heading to school in the United States while father Vallance played for the Auckland Stars in the early 2000s.
Of Māori (Tūhoe, Te Whānau a Apanui, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Kahungunu) and Samoan descent, Cooper has quickly established himself as a rising talent. A standout for the St Kentigern College premier team and a key player for the U18 Waitākere representative team for the past two years, Te Ratana has impressed the coaching staff with his talent and his approach to the sport.
“Cooper is a real talent and has given a great account of himself while training with us,” coach Cam Gliddon said.
“He has earned a trial with the Junior Tall Blacks for the next cycle, and I think he can showcase his talents at Sal’s NBL and Sky Broadband Rapid League level.”