Q. Coming into your second season as a head coach what experiences from that first campaign are you most looking forward to build on?
A. I think every part of last season was extremely valuable to my development. The parts I’m looking to build on which I feel are most important to our group is our team culture and identity. Wins and losses will happen, but building consistency and a deep trust within the group will help us navigate the crucial times during the season a lot better than last year.
Q. The squad seems a little more settled with quite a few NZ players coming back. How do you see that helping the team early on in the season?
A. I’m very happy with the team we have put together. Having a talented core of local athletes always puts you in a great position from the get go. Being able to retain professionals like Rob, Tom, Zach, Dylan and Josh Leger has been amazing. It means we aren’t starting from scratch this year, and it means we have leadership amongst the group. Also, locking in local Isaac Davidson, and returning amateurs KC, Josh W, and Mattie are all huge signings for us.
Q. On the imports – what roles do you see Josh and Sean and playing for the team?
A. Josh is starting his professional career with us, and from the first training, the coaching staff has been really impressed with what he brings. Something we didn’t do great as a team last year was shoot the 3, and Josh brings that skill to us. He’s a dependable ball carrier and great decision maker on top of that and we are excited to see him slot in with our group.
Sean is someone we see as being a real difference maker for us. His combination of size, length, athleticism, and skill make him a versatile player who can play and guard from the 1-4 if needed. He is hungry to prove that he is one of the best perimeter players in the league so when you combine his skill level and his hunger to dominate, it was a no brainer to bring him in!
Q. Having been an import here yourself how hard is to make the move to NZ and how helpful is it to have an import like Sean who have experienced basketball and life here already?
A. This is a big key as to why those guys were so sought after by us. There is always a transitional period where you need to figure out the league you have just joined. Lucky for us Sean has played in this league. Hopefully less speed bumps along our journey together, but the season is always going to have its ups and downs, so we aim to bring in great athletes, but also great people who can navigate through the tough parts of the season with some cool heads. That’s why Josh Dilling was also high on our radar.
Q. There are some exciting prospects joining the team from the Academy level. What can you tell us about the talent level coming through and who should we look out for making an early impact?
A. Sione Maama did a great job along with our other assistant Christian Ward, and volunteer coaches Orlando Lima, Josh Malolo and Josiah Maama, in picking an awesome group of young men to join the Academy. Every single player that put on the Tuatara colours at training represented themselves and the organisation very well. A few standouts who have joined the Tuatara on amateur contracts are Hunter Johns, Noah Duncan and Harper Wilson. We have nine professional players on contract, so that means 2-3 amateur players will suit up each week, and I’m sure those spots will be hotly contested every week.
Q. You’ve experienced a lot of basketball globally as well as at different levels around Aotearoa, what’s so unique about a Tuatara gameday and the fans?
A. I am a huge fan of Eventfinda Stadium! Our home court doesn’t have a bad seat in the house, everyone from the front row to the back row feel like they are part of the action. Our fans always make a lot of noise and help us get over the line. After the games our players enjoy shaking hands with the fans as they do a lap of the court, and then signing autographs for the kids who hang around post game. I think out of everywhere I have played, the Tuatara home games are the best experience for young fans as they get to have real interactions with the players after every game.
Q. Lastly we’ve been close a number of times to winning the competition. What will it take for the team to bring home the trophy in 2026?
A. It will take a lot of hard work, sacrifice, and us playing to our absolute potential. This league is a great league. Every team has a chance to win the trophy, I wouldn’t count out anybody. We are very happy with our roster, I’m personally very pleased with how my coaching staff have been going about their business, and I have immense trust in our support staff and front office to handle whatever adversity we are thrown this year. Now it’s time to put it all together.