Basketball: Big-dunking import has his eyes on two goals

Casey Frank is looking to secure a three-peat with the Stars and a regular Tall Blacks place. Jeff Brass / Getty Images

Casey Frank has spent pretty much his whole adult life away from home playing professional basketball. "Home now is Auckland," he said this week as he and the Stars team he captains prepared for their last two games of the season and the finals to follow.

Auckland are the only team to have won the NBL title for three consecutive years - in the mid-90s when current coach Kenny Stone was their import. They are guaranteed a home semifinal this year.

Frank joined in 2002 but having signed with the Wollongong Hawks in the Australian league, he wants to return to New Zealand next year and is looking to sort out a deal with the Stars for 2007.

His big goals are securing a second three-peat with the Stars - then a Tall Black spot. "I want Tab not to be able to leave me out," he said of national team coach Tab Baldwin.

Frank has played 16 games for the Tall Blacks since gaining residency last year - six in a tournament in China, three against India in the Commonwealth Games build-up and five at the Games, including the defeat against Australia in the final. He is logical choice for the one spot allowed an expat at the World Championships. Stone regards him as being head and shoulders above any other eligible American-born player, but Baldwin indicated Frank was no sitter for the spot when he suggested this week that Kiwi forwards were in contention.

However, the fact he has gone from small contributor to captain in five seasons with Auckland says a lot about Frank's progression.

"Auckland didn't used to expect a lot of their imports," he said. "I'm coming along, I guess. My contribution has picked up a lot."

There was lots of leadership, with the likes of Dillon Boucher and Lindsay Tait - until he was injured and the team was still deep. Daryl Cartwright and Tait's replacement in the starting five, Judd Flavell, were all capable of starting in most teams.

Without Tait they are still confident, Frank said. "We know it will be tougher but we still think we can win the title."

They beat Wellington last weekend without both Tait and import shooting guard Brock Gillespie, who has averaged about 20 points lately. "We'd come to depend on Brock as our outside shooter, so it was good to adjust and be able to win without him. There are guys like Dan Ryan who are stepping up - they'd get more game-time elsewhere, maybe, but they add to our depth and that definitely helps the team."

Frank is league MVP this week following his haul of 24 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists and three steals in that game. He scored 25 and took 10 rebounds against Waikato last week, their first game without last year's MVP Tait. Frank leads the player ratings and might become MVP this year.

The 28-year-old has had two runs with the Breakers, being cut mid-season in their first year. He lined up against Brisbane one afternoon at Trusts Stadium after having been roped in that morning due to injury to regulars. "It was hard coming in like that and not knowing their systems," he said.

A few games later, the club signed Brian Green. Frank later gained the New Zealand passport that means he is no longer considered an import in the Australian league. Offers came from other ANBL clubs - but not the Auckland franchise.

So he moves to the city south of Sydney once the NBL is done - or once the World Championships in Japan are over if he achieves his second goal.

"I think it will be similar to when I came to Auckland. There's a good team, a good coach and I'll start as a small piece of the puzzle ... I don't see it as my role to be the big scorer."

But dunking is something of a specialty and yes, he does enjoy those - almost as much as Auckland's fans.

Casey Frank

203cm 110kg, forward
Born: October 23, 1977, New York
College: Northern Arizona University, Phoenix, 1995-99.
NCAA basketball, twice made the Big Sky Conference team.
Pro career: 1999-2000 Paris, France; 2000-2001 CBA for La Crosse; 2001-2002 Sweden.
Joined Auckland Stars 2002; won titles in 2004 and 2005.
Breakers: 17 games 2003-2004 and 2005. Average 8.6pts and 5.5 rebounds.
Tall Blacks: 14 games since debut in China 2005. Five games at the Commonwealth Games.
Tall Blacks average 8.9 points, 4.4 rebounds.
Signed with the Wollongong Hawks for two seasons.