New Zealand's Junior Tall Blacks Achieve Fourth Place Despite Financial Burden

Despite a historic fourth-place finish at the Under-19 Basketball World Cup in Switzerland, New Zealand's Junior Tall Blacks players and their families faced a considerable financial burden to participate in the tournament. Each player was required to contribute $5000 towards the trip, a significant reduction from the original $10,000 cost, made possible through fundraising and savings efforts by Basketball New Zealand.

Notably, New Zealand was the only nation among the 16 participants where players had to personally cover part of the costs to compete. This recurring issue has long been a challenge for the sport in the country, with NBA star Steven Adams being one of the high-profile athletes who never played for the Tall Blacks due to his family's inability to afford the junior-level expenses.

Belinda Edwards, acting chief executive of Basketball New Zealand, expressed frustration over the situation, stating that the high costs of travel and the lack of adequate funding from High Performance Sport New Zealand (HPNZ) create a significant barrier to entry for aspiring athletes. "It’s extremely frustrating, especially when these high-performing athletes are going to multiple campaigns year on year, sometimes more than one a year," she said.

Edwards emphasized that the current funding model is ill-suited for a global sport like basketball. "Travel costs are rising, and we’re going to the other side of the world more and more," she noted. She also called for a re-evaluation of the funding system, which heavily prioritizes podium finishes and Olympic cycles, leaving sports like rowing and yachting with increased support while others, such as swimming and triathlon, face cuts.

Despite these challenges, there is optimism for the future of the sport in New Zealand. The country's fourth-place finish is among its best in the 5x5 format, matching achievements from the 2002 senior Tall Blacks and the 2024 Under-17 team, which included five players from the current U19 squad. Many of the players are set to continue their basketball careers in the United States on college scholarships, with Basketball New Zealand aiming for strong performances at the 2027 World Cup and the 2028 Olympics.

"We’re incredibly proud," said Edwards. "All the signs are certainly pointing in the right direction, and we’re certainly working towards some podium finishers in the future."