Wellington teenager Maia Mariner came to Hawke's Bay to give brand new pairs of basketball shoes to the community.
A group of students from Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Wānanga Whare Tapere o Takitimu on Saturday all received pairs of NBA superstar Kawhi Leonard's signature New Balance sneakers from Mariner via her Lazy Sneakers project.
The sneaker bank, which she founded in 2017, collects used sneakers in good condition and redistributes them for free to make it easier to participate in sport.
New Balance sent Mariner the new Kawhis after hearing about her kaupapa, so Mariner contacted the Swish-Toki basketball club in Hawke's Bay to see where they should go.
The club recommended Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Wānanga Whare Tapere o Takitimu, a co-ed wharekura with 40 students who compete in the Hawke's Bay school basketball competitions.
