Tokomanawa Queens, coached by Tania Tupu, were victorious in the 2022 Tauihi Basketball Aotearoa final against Northern Kahu. Photo: Evan Barnes / Shuttersport Limited
New Zealand's elite domestic basketball leagues are set for expansion next year - backed by the owners of the Indian National Basketball League (INBL).
The proposed expansion would see a new team added to both the men's NBL league and women's Tauihi Basketball Aotearoa in 2025.
The proposal, which is now under negotiation, would see each new team filled with the best players from India, while roster spots will also be open to international imports and Kiwi players.
The outside-the-square idea was hatched by Justin Nelson, who heads up Sky's NZ Basketball League Management team.
"India is the most populated country in the world, so the chance to take New Zealand basketball to more than 1.4 billion new fans is an incredible opportunity," Nelson said.
"Basing the INBL-owned franchises in New Zealand would also open our leagues to new fans in Aotearoa NZ where more than 300,000 people of Indian ethnicity live."
BBNZ chief executive Dillon Boucher was excited by the benefits for basketball in New Zealand that would come with the addition of the new INBL-backed teams.
"This will open up opportunities to expose both our local leagues - GJ Gardner Homes Tauihi for women's basketball and Sal's NBL for men's basketball - to global markets," Boucher said.
INBL chief executive Parveen Batish viewed the potential move into New Zealand as the perfect next step to advance the game, which is booming among youth.
"Playing in these two strong New Zealand leagues will help create aspirational pathways for Indian players, which will drive participation and engagement across India," Batish said.
"Indian ballers need increased opportunities to play in high-quality leagues. By operating teams in New Zealand in partnership with BBNZ, we will give our athletes and coaches the chance to learn modern skills of game preparation, scouting, game adjustment and individual skills. It will also give them a platform to demonstrate their skills to a wider international audience."
With a memorandum of understanding between BBNZ and INBL in place, the two parties are now in the process of finalising participation agreements with the INBL-owned teams, which both parties are optimistic will be able to be concluded in the next 3-4 weeks.
The 2025 competitions are due to commence in March for the men and October for the women, with all games broadcast live on Sky Sport in New Zealand, and via a number of partners internationally.