Former Tall Blacks guard and four-time NBL champion coach Judd Flavell will take over the reins of the national men's team from longtime ally Pero Cameron.
Flavell, 50, logged 38 games for New Zealand from 1999-2002, including the team that famously finished fourth at the 2002 world championships at Indianapolis.
He has spent terms as assistant coach with the NZ Breakers during their 2011-15 championship run and then South East Melbourne Phoenix in the Australian NBL. Flavell's also won NZ national league crowns with the Auckland Pirates (2012), Southland Sharks (2018), and the Canterbury Rams (2023, '24).
Flavell and Cameron grew up together in Northland, and both made their NBL debuts with the Waikato Warriors in 1992. Flavell served as Tall Blacks assistant under Cameron, who stepped down to take up a professional opportunity with the Ningbo Rockets in China.
"There's a lot of emotions that came up for me, because I feel so passionate about the black singlet, about the Tall Blacks, what we’ve done and achieved on the international stage in the past," said Flavell. "Also seeing where we are currently at with the programme, you can't help but get excited looking ahead at the pool of talent that we have coming through with the youngsters.
"For me, it's been a long journey, coming from being part of the Tall Blacks programme as a player — growing up and having that dream of putting on the black singlet and then being involved in some of our finer moments in 2001/02, then being an assistant coach. I feel really feel privileged and honoured to be given this responsibility."
Flavell also played alongside current Basketball NZ chief executive Dillon Boucher, who had firsthand experience of his coaching ability with the champion Pirates.
"Judd has played at the highest level with the Tall Blacks and now gets to lead them as head coach," said Boucher. "His passion for the jersey and for New Zealand basketball is as high as you can get.
"He has enjoyed recent success with back-to-back titles with the Rams in the NBL and knowing what Judd is capable of, I’m excited to watch him lead this group of players we have right now."
Flavell continues the legacy of that 2002 outfit, coached by Tab Baldwin, who was succeeded by assistant Nenad Vucinic. Since then, three consecutive coaches — Paul Henare, Cameron, and Flavell — have come from that playing roster.
FIBA Hall-of-Famer Cameron called time on his tenure after the Tall Blacks, currently ranked 22nd in the world, failed to qualify for the Paris Olympics.
Flavell's first assignment will be an Asian Cup qualifying series against the Philippines and Chinese Taipei next month.
SHARE ME