Tall Blacks call in NBL star power

Tuesday, August 1, 2023

The New Zealand Tall Blacks have trimmed their extended World Cup squad to 14 players.

New Zealand has trimmed its extended World Cup squad down to 14 players, ahead of a training camp and warm-up games in Japan, Germany and China.

Nine currently signed NBL players have been named in the squad, along with unsigned free agent and former South East Melbourne forward Tohi Smith-Milner.

Corey Webster (personal reasons), Tai Webster (personal reasons) and Ethan Rusbatch (injury) were all late omissions from the squad's four day camp, replaced by a trio of train-on players.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">?? Following a 4-day training camp in Auckland, Tall Blacks head coach Pero Cameron and his coaching staff have selected a squad of 14 athletes to travel to Japan, Germany & China in advance of the FIBA World Cup!<br><br>? Read more: <a href="https://t.co/bqeOZwdFLg">https://t.co/bqeOZwdFLg</a> <a href="https://t.co/medbr1CAuy">pic.twitter.com/medbr1CAuy</a></p>— Tall Blacks (@TallBlacks) <a href="https://twitter.com/TallBlacks/status/1685771996309905408?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 30, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

“It’s been a big week,” New Zealand coach Pero Cameron said ahead of the squad’s announcement.

“We’ve chosen our squad of 14 based on a lot of different reasons and merits, and we feel this is the best group going forward.

“It’s been tough for sure, but we knew from the start a couple [of players] wouldn’t make the final cut. It is what it is, and everyone here knows how it works.”

The named squad of 14 takes on Japan in a pair of friendly games, before another training stint in Turkey.

The side will then travel to Germany to take part in the FIBA SuperCup and play Canada and one of China or Germany.

Former Breaker Yanni Wetzell is in line to make his national team debut in the practice games, while Reuben Te Rangi prepares to make his maiden World Cup bow, should he earn selection in the final 12.

New Zealand 14 player squad
Dan Fotu (New Zealand Breakers)
Finn Delany (New Zealand Breakers)
Flynn Cameron (Melbourne United)
Hyrum Harris (Perth Wildcats)
Isaac Fotu
Izayah Le’Afa (New Zealand Breakers)
Jordan Ngatai
Reuben Te Rangi (South East Melbourne Phoenix)
Sam Timmins (Sydney Kings)
Shea Ili (Melbourne United)
Taylor Britt
Tohi Smith-Milner
Walter Brown (Tasmania JackJumpers)
Yanni Wetzell