Basketball: High grade lures import hot rods

Casey Frank is naturalised and now counts as a local for Auckland. Picture / Getty Images

The domestic basketball season is compressed this year to accommodate the Commonwealth Games and, at the back end, the World Championships.

It could be all over for some teams before they even know it - most notably Otago, who have a new coach, a majority of new players and seven of their first eight games on the road in a season with 18 games in 13 weeks.

Manawatu have two weeks where they play four times in a week, a real test of commitment and squad depth.

There are more Americans in the Primo NBL this year and fewer Australians. But the presence of some high-profile players from both countries and of Australian coaches, not least the new Wellington Saints mentor Gordon McLeod, says a lot about the standard of the league. Those players would not come if it was low-grade.

Wellington reckon they have captured the best coach in the NBL in former Australian Olympian, AIS and West Sydney Razorbacks coach and Basketball New Zealand high-performance manager McLeod.

Defending champions Auckland will not have the services of Tall Black shooting guard Aaron Olson, who is sitting out the local season to repair Achilles problems.

Casey Frank, who has just signed with the Razors, returns and they have a player swap with North Harbour, who they meet on Saturday night at ASB Stadium in Kohimarama. Trusts Stadium was too expensive for the meagre crowds the champions drew.

Coach Kenny Stone said they expected to be more athletic, with an American forward and a shooting guard as imports now that captain Frank is naturalised and qualifies as a local.

Point guard Glen Joe, who had been trying for a job in China, made a late move to Wellington when the overseas option fell through, throwing some disruption into Auckland's preparation, as did the late arrivals of Tall Blacks Dillon Boucher, Mika Vukona and Lindsay Tait.

It may again be an Auckland-Hawkes Bay final, given the player strength of those teams. The Hawks have a stable line-up with departing Dusty Rychart replaced by another smart shooting guard.

But recent winners Waikato will be a serious threat. They have recruited well and have a more balanced and formidable outfit. Pero Cameron is expected to arrive from Turkey mid-season, giving a significant boost at the business end.

Among the higher-profile imports is the Saints' Tony Jones, who goes by the name "Gogetit" in the And1 apparel-promoting exhibition team. He has Achilles problems, but the Saints are so set on using him that they will wait for his start rather than look for another import.

Harbour Heat promise to upset some teams, having increased their depth and attacking power.

The Manawatu Jets and Taranaki Airs have undergone major rebuilding exercises and are likely to be mid-table.

The South Island teams may all struggle. The Canterbury Rams are rebuilding after the retirement of senior players and a change of coach. The Otago Nuggets also have a new team and new coach.

You can never count out Nelson because of Nenad Vucinic, sly dog of the league and clever analyst.

The league promises to be more evenly contested and play should be at a higher level given the continuing interest of the overseas contingent and the hauling-up effect on local players and coaches.

Prediction: Auckland to meet the Hawks in the final, after Waikato and Nelson or Wellington are eliminated. Then the Heat, Jets, Airs, Nuggets and Rams.

WEEKEND FIXTURES

Round One, tonight

* Manawatu Jets v Otago Nuggets, Arena Manawatu, 7pm

* Taranaki Mountain Airs v Nelson Giants, TSB Stadium, 6pm

Tomorrow

* Bay Hawks v Otago Nuggets, Pettigrew Green Arena, 7.30pm

* Auckland Stars v Harbour Heat, ASB Stadium, 7.30pm

* Waikato Titans v Nelson Giants, YMCA Hamilton, 2pm