Role Models Defining Rissetto's Hoops Journey

Tuesday, March 28, 2023

The news of Anzac Rissetto’s re-signing in recent days was met with joy from all corners of the South East Melbourne fanbase.

Despite making just five appearances across the NBL23 season, the raw but talented New Zealand-born big man has quickly established himself as one of the cult heroes of the competition.

Coming from South Auckland – a notoriously troubled area of the country, sport was seen as a saving grace for the 22-year-old, and a way to keep him on the straight and narrow.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">RE-SIGNED ??<br><br>Promising Kiwi big man Anzac Rissetto is returning to the <a href="https://twitter.com/SEMelbPhoenix?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SEMelbPhoenix</a> for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBL24?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBL24</a>, signing a new deal that sees him remain a Development Player with a second year Club Option.<br><br>More here: <a href="https://t.co/Zt4VJ1MsDj">https://t.co/Zt4VJ1MsDj</a> <a href="https://t.co/f5hb6g7B6k">pic.twitter.com/f5hb6g7B6k</a></p>— NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1636564299664748546?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 17, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

“My mum knew that if I played sport, I would stay out of trouble,” Rissetto told the South East Melbourne Phoenix website. “She threw me into as many sports as possible because it kept me off the street.

“It kept me away from doing naughty stuff like when she was younger.

“If she had gotten into sports, maybe her life would have turned out different, but she didn’t; she lived her life.”

A key part of the love and acceptance thrown towards Rissetto from the Phoenix faithful has been his willingness and his desire to get involved with all corners of the community.

Even at just 22 years of age, he understands the importance of role models in enabling kids to get the most out of themselves, and credits his admiration for fellow New Zealand basketballer and current Memphis Grizzlies centre Steven Adams for his mentality.

“For me, if I had a couple of role models that had come up to me and been like ‘hey, do it, you can achieve something in life. You don’t have to be stuck in the same life that’s always been lived through the environment you have grown up in’,” he said.

“Steven Adams, when I started this basketball journey I was 13/14 and had never played before, but I had seen this dude from a similar background to me go and play in the NBA. He was a big inspiration to me.

“I was grateful enough to win one of his scholarships to help me out. I am extremely grateful for him to be in that position to help so many of us.

“I like to see myself as a role model, but I’m just a normal dude trying to do his best to make this place a little better.”

Rissetto has committed to the Phoenix for a further two seasons. The first season of his new deal will see him remain a development player before joining the main roster in NBL25.

Over the NBL off-season he will compete with the Taranki Airs in the NZNBL.

For the full story head to >> My Name is Anzac.