Basketball: Baldwin looks to lure Marks out of retirement

Sean Marks

Tall Blacks basketball coach Tab Baldwin will attempt to coax Sean Marks out of retirement for the world championships in Japan in August.

Baldwin, speaking ahead of the tournament draw to be conducted on Sunday night, said securing the 2.08m forward/centre's services was a priority in coming months.

"Sean retired last year but we're quite keen to see if Sean might reconsider this year," Baldwin told National Radio today.

"We haven't even made a formal approach to him, but we will and try to convince him it might be a great opportunity in 2006."

Marks, who has averaged 6.5 minutes per game in six appearances for the San Antonio Spurs in the National Basketball Association (NBA) this season, announced his retirement from international duty after the 2004 Olympics in Athens.

But Baldwin said with the bulk of the current side likely to have their swansong at the world championships, there would be incentive for Marks, 30, to review his retirement.

He was part of New Zealand's 2002 world championship side who stunned the basketball world by finishing fourth.

The draw for the 24-team 2006 world championships will be conducted on Sunday night in Japan.

Teams will be drawn into four pools of six.

World governing body Fiba recently confirmed Italy, Puerto Rico, Serbia and Montenegro and Turkey as the final four invited teams for the tournament which runs from August 19-September 3.

- NZPA