The 10 team New Zealand National Basketball League tips off on 28 April - three weeks later than originally scheduled..
Wellington Saints won the 2021 NBL title. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The delay has allowed for unrestricted crowds to attend and players arriving from overseas to get into New Zealand.
A match up between the Nelson Giants and Otago Nuggets opens the regular season which will run through to 7 August.
Auckland Tuatara
The Auckland Tuatara are NBL newcomers and unique in New Zealand sport.
The Tuatara come under the same banner as the baseball team which competes in the Australian Baseball League.
A majority of the Auckland Tuatara baseball shareholders are part of a consortium behind the basketball side that will play on Auckland's North Shore.
Tall Black and New Zealand Breakers player Rob Loe was the new club's first signing. The 30-year-old last played in the NBL in 2019 for the Wellington Saints.
Rob Loe Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The Tuatara have signed two American imports guard Siler Schneider and centre Chris Johnson.
Schneider spent four years in the US College system before becoming a professional and comes to New Zealand after a stint playing in Denmark.
Johnson who has spent time with the Portland Trailblazer, Boston Celtics, New Orleans Hornets and Minnesota Timberwolves in the NBA joins the Tuatara from the now defunct Auckland Huskies.
Roster: Rob Loe, Dontae Russo-Nance, Chris McIntosh, Nick Barrow, Taki Fahrensohn, Braydon Iuli, Reuben Fitzgerald, Dan Fotu, Siler Schneider, Chris Johnson, Charlie Dalton, Kainoa Lepou, Luka Vea, Thomas Beattie
Coach: Aaron Young
Franklin Bulls
In their third season in the NBL the Franklin Bulls will be relying on local talent.
Tall Black and former New Zealand Breakers player Corey Webster returns from Egypt to play in his hometown.
Corey Webster Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Webster previously played for the Wellington Saints and for the first time since 2016 will play in the NBL for an Auckland-based franchise.
Seven-time NBL champion Leon Henry will also suit up for the first time with the club he signed with in 2020. The NBL was played in a different format in 2020 due to Covid-19 and Henry did not end up playing for the Bulls that season.
With the return to a full season, Henry will take the court alongside some young talent as the team aims to improve on an 8th placing last season.
Roster: Denhym Brooke, Jayden Bezzant, Anzac Rissetto, Kane Bennett-Keil, Joshua Leger, Jett Thompson, Christian Martin, Adam Dunstan, Leon Henry, Isaac Davidson, Corey Webster, Ethan Skelton, Talanoa Latu, Zach McKenzie
Coach: Morgan Maskell
Taranaki Airs
The Airs took home the wooden spoon last season with just two wins but experienced coach Trent Adam believes his roster will do better in 2022.
Taranaki basketball's heyday in the NBL was in the late 1980s and early 1990s when they finished in the top three - but the impact of Tall Blacks coach Pero Cameron signing on as the Airs' director of basketball could start to show.
Pero Cameron Photo: Photosport
Richie Rodger returns to the Airs after two seasons with the Otago Nuggets and Adam sees the 25-year-old guard - and recent Tall Black - as adding to what the side starting developing in 2021.
Tai Wynyard is another Tall Black Adam and Cameron will work with this season.
Roster: Carlin Davison, Tai Wynyard, Scott Telfer, Richie Rodger, Tom Poulgrain, Ben Carlile-Smith, Haize Walker, Benji Freeman, Caleb Smiler, Geordie Hoeata, Aaron Bailey-Nowell, Cameron Quinnell, Elijah Puna, Riley Tuuta
Coach: Trent Adam
Hawke's Bay Hawks
Coach Mick Downer moves to the Hawks after three seasons coaching the Canterbury Rams and brings with him several of his former charges.
Centre Jack Salt who has been playing in the Australian NBL for the Brisbane Bullets follows Downer to the Hawks where he joins a number of New Zealand representatives on the roster.
Jarrod Kenny, right, will re-join the Hawks after the ANBL season. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Another player that will join the Hawks after his ANBL commitments with the Cairns Taipans is Tall Black Jarrod Kenny who will play in his 12th season in a Hawks jersey.
Tall Black Hyrum Harris will also join the team after finishing the season with the Adelaide 36ers.
The Hawks were runners-up in the 2021 season, losing the final to the Wellington Saints by 2 points.
Roster: Ethan Rusbatch, Jordan Hunt, Derone Raukawa, Quintin Bailey, Derek Albertsen, Everard Bartlett, Hyrum Harris, Jack Exeter
Jarrod Kenny, Jack Salt, Jacob Murphy, Tommy Fergusson, Mike Woodbridge, Ezra Smiler, Kobe Kara, Jakob Gooch, Ben Adamson, Kendyl Nelson-Graham, Clifton Bush III
Coach: Mick Downer
Manawatu Jets
A new-look Manawatu Jets will be guided by Natu Taufale who returns to coaching in the NBL after a 20 year break.
Taufale coached the Wellington Saints in 2000 and has spent the past eight years with Basketball New Zealand as National Director of Coach Development.
A shake-up at the franchise on and off the court means Taufale will have a young roster for the 2022 season.
The Jets made the final of the NBL Showdown in 2020 and finished the 2021 season in 9th with four wins from 17 games.
Roster: Shane Temara, Pafe Momoisea, Tu Kaha Cooper, Klein Salmon, Nathaniel Salmon, Benjamon Robertson, Isaac Morrison, Jack Henry, Jacob Collis, Lukah Richards, Tama Faamausili, Tyrone McLennan
Coach: Natu Taufale
Wellington Saints
The defending champion Wellington Saints have a new coach and won't have the services of last season's captain and MVP, Dion Prewster.
Prewster, who has being playing for Melbourne United in the Australian NBL, picked up multiple awards for the Saints last year but won't be part of their tilt for a 13th title.
Jordan Ngatai. Photo: Photo by Jayne Russell / www.PhotoSport.nz
The Saints have secured Tall Black Jordan Ngatai for a sixth season. Ngatai missed the successful 2021 campaign through injury and comes into 2022 campaign off the back of a season with the Cairns Taipans in the ANBL.
Taane Samuel who has been playing in his debut ANBL season with the Brisbane Bullets returns. Samuel was picked for the NZNBL All-Star five last season and dropped 26 points in the Saints' grand final win.
Guy Molloy takes over from 2021 coach of the year award winner Zico Coronel.
Roster: Kenneth Tuffin, Johhny Helu, Francis Wineera-Mulvihill, Tom Vodanovich, Emmerson Potts-Broughton, Thomas Gold, Jordan Ngatai, Taane Samuel, Evytar Tabor, Reegan Trego, Jermaine Fui, Corban Laban-Palmer, Rangimarie Dougall-Mita
Coach: Guy Molloy
Nelson Giants
The Giants have a backbone of experienced and long-serving players on their roster.
For a 14th season Sam Dempster will be wearing the colours of his hometown side, a side he has been captaining since 2017.
Sam Dempster. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Dempster will play along Tom Ingham who is in his ninth season with the Giants, Nic Trathen who is in his eighth year and Riley Bensemann in his seventh season.
One player who will be making his Giants debut is centre Jordan Schwalger.
The 20-year-old was born and raised in Australia but has New Zealand citizenship. He came through the junior programmes on the Gold Coast and Brisbane, spending time under the tutelage of Tall Black coach Pero Cameron.
The Giants finished the 2021 season in seventh.
Roster: Sam Dempster, Tom Ingham, Nic Trathen, Jordan Schwalger, Riley Bensemann, Alex McNaught, Tyler Marsh, Jay Marsh, Nicolas Davidson, Ernest Kerr, Jarred Burnett, Garth Jepsen
Coach: Mike Fitchett
Canterbury Rams
Two-time Australian National Basketball League champion guard Sunday Dech joins the Rams as the team's marquee import signing
Dech is one of four Rams with ANBL experience, joining Taylor Britt, Max Darling and Mike Karena.
Well-travelled power forward Karena is back with the Rams and will be familiar with coach Judd Flavell's systems during their time together with South East Melbourne Phoenix in the ANBL.
Flavell's influence has also attracted Kaia Isaac who has been playing age-group and NBL1 hoops in Australia.
A well-known surname in New Zealand basketball will be prominent at the Rams this season.
Ed Book joins as an assistant coach to the team that his sons Josh and Nic play for.
Ed played in every NBL season from 1994 to 2007 and played for four years with the Tall Blacks including in the same New Zealand team as Flavell.
The Rams were fifth in the standings last season.
Roster: Taylor Britt, Max Darling, Joe Cook-Green, Walter Brown, Josh Book, Jackson Stent, Hunter Adam, Kaia Isaac, Mike Karena, Nic Book, Sunday Dech, Sam Smith, Aiden Tonge, Junior De Young, Zachary Hannen, Kalib Mullins
Coach: Judd Flavell
Otago Nuggets
Otago Nuggets centre Sam Timmins dominated the awards and the boards in 2021 and is back for a third stint with the franchise.
Sam Timmins Photo: Photosport Ltd 2021
Timmins was named the Most Outstanding Forward/Centre and Most Improved Player in 2021 and he was a member of the NZ NBL All-Star Five. He also led the league in rebounds and blocks per game.
The 24-year-old's success earned him a developmental contract with the New Zealand Breakers this season.
Joining Timmins at the Nuggets are American imports Keith Williams and Todd Withers.
Twenty-three year-old shooting guard Williams will be playing his first season out of US College and forward Withers comes from a season with the Adelaide 36ers in the Australian NBL.
The Otago Nuggets placed sixth in 2021.
Roster: Sam Timmins, Nikau McCullough, Josh Aitcheson, Keith Williams, Todd Withers, Danyon Ashcroft, Darcy Knox, Joe Ahie, Matthew Bardsley, Mike Ruske, Robbie Coman
Coach: Brent Matehaere
Southland Sharks
The Sharks have lured NBA prospect Mojave King to the deep south for the 2022 season.
Mojave King, centre Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The teenage shooting guard has been with the Adelaide 36ers in the Australian NBL as part of the league's Next Stars programme, designed to develop NBA Draft prospects.
New Zealand-born King moved to Australia at a young age and took part in the NBA Global Academy, in the process putting his name on the radar of NBA scouts.
Another player with links to the NBA is Jamaican-born centre Romaro Gill.
Gill played for the Wellington Saints last season and spent his off-season playing Summer League with the LA Lakers before signing with the Toronto Raptors' G League team and then returning to New Zealand for second NBL campaign.
The new additions will be surrounded by players who have a few seasons with the Sharks behind them including Andrew Wheeler who is in his 11th season with the side and Alonzo Burton who has 10 seasons in the NBL.
The Sharks finished the 2021 season in third.
Roster: Dom Kelman-Poto, Liam McRae, Brayden Inger, Alonzo Burton, Jaylen Gerrand, Dru-Leo Leusogi-Ape, Tom Cowie, Connor Coll, Campbell Scott, Quake Webster, Ethan Mitchell, Romaro Gill, Mojave King, Andrew Wheeler
Coach: Rob Beveridge
-RNZ