KEY POINTS:
American basketball centre Nick Horvath is gunning for a place in the Tall Blacks.
The 2.08m import who plays for the Adelaide 36ers in the Australian National Basketball League and for the Wellington Saints in the ANBL off-season, is keen to wear the black jersey.
Horvath, who is engaged to Palmerston North's international hockey player, Sheree Phillips, has applied for New Zealand citizenship.
After being recently approached by Tall Blacks coach Nenad Vucinicm, he is down to take part in the national open trial in Palmerston North on April 15.
Vucinic sees him as the perfect replacement for 2002 world championships star, Sean Marks, whose Tall Blacks career appears to be over.
Marks, who plays for the Phoenix Suns in the United States has told Vucinic the NBA off-season is too short and he wants to spend time with his family.
Horvath feels it is up to the Immigration Department whether or not he could soon don the national jersey.
"Since I met Sheree (2005) I've been planning to come over here so playing for New Zealand one day was something I have been keen to look into for a long time," Horvath told the Dominion Post.
He had "no idea" how long it would take to get citizenship, but was hopeful his desire to represent the Tall Blacks would speed up the process.
- NZPA
