Basketball: World champs may be Baldwin's swansong

Tab Baldwin

It was an offensive move that blindsided Tab Baldwin.

The Tall Blacks mentor was left stunned by his Turkish basketball club last month when he lost his coaching job after a contentious clause was introduced.

Now Baldwin's weighing up his options which could have major ramifications for New Zealand basketball with his national contract expiring in December.

After leading the Tall Blacks since 2001 and guiding them to their greatest ever feat with a fourth placing at the 2002 world championship, Baldwin appears ready to bow out of the New Zealand camp on the same stage in Japan next month.

In Napier preparing for the four-test series against Australia, Baldwin, who chooses his words carefully, was coy when asked whether he would be coaching the national side next year.

"It's a possibility," he told NZPA.

When pressed about his desire to coach the side at the 2008 Olympics, Baldwin said after reading on the internet that Banvitspor had cut him loose, his future was now uncertain.

"I'm still up in the air about my immediate future.

"My contract runs through until the end of 2006 and I'll honour my contract. I suspect that after the world championship Basketball New Zealand (BBNZ) will sit down with me and we'll discuss the future.

"I always want a future with Basketball New Zealand irrespective of whether it's the national coach or whether it's a coach developing other coaches or developing younger players. I always want a role.

"This country gave me the opportunity to become a good basketball coach and I'll forever be indebted to them for that."

If Baldwin sounded like he was penning his resignation letter, acting BBNZ chief executive Barry Wilson intimated that head office were waiting for the postie.

"We sort of had the feeling after Tab's contract in Turkey fell through that he was looking for new pastures after his (BBNZ) contract period," Wilson told NZPA today.

"He's having a rethink, reassessing the whole situation."

Wilson said no discussions regarding Baldwin's future had been held and nothing at this stage was set in concrete, but the lure of coaching in Europe again could see Baldwin pack his bags for good.

Wilson agreed that a good performance in Japan could see Baldwin become a sought after commodity, something that happened in 2002, and BBNZ would struggle to match any big offers.

"We would have our limitations. We don't have an endless pot of money," Wilson said.

Ironically, it was the prospect of the Tall Blacks repeating their world championship success in Japan in August-September that led Banvitspor to slap a financial penalty clause into Baldwin's contract -- thought to be between $50,000-$60,000 -- if he departed during his term.

After joining the club in February last year, he saved them from relegation and they finished fourth in the regular season with a 21-win 9-loss record before they lost in the league semifinals to eventual champions Ulkerspor.

The whole period was a massive kick in the guts for the Florida-native.

"I'm disappointed and I was really let down by the process. I would go so far to say when I first heard the news on the internet, which I don't think is a good way to hear. I was devastated because I had my heart set on going back there.

"It was the greatest coaching experience over a long duration in my life. I learned throughout the full season many, many things from a knowledge standpoint I'm able to implement with the (Tall Blacks) team now.

"I had a great contract in my hand financially, but there was an element of the contract that was unacceptable."

Baldwin said the penalty clause was unusual, but he held no ill-will towards the club owners who "have been very, very good friends of mine."

Baldwin was adamant he wanted to return to Europe and his agents now had their feelers out to clubs.

It's a scenario Baldwin faced when he and the bulk of the Tall Blacks squad slammed the form book through the hoops in Indianapolis four years ago.

That effort saw international clubs knocking his door off the hinges with offers, but instead Baldwin stayed loyal and BBNZ created a high performance coaching position for him.

But a lack of court-time saw Baldwin develop restlessness. He then headed overseas, but in early 2005 he signalled his intention to coach the New Zealand Breakers in the Australian National Basketball League.

That fell through and Baldwin stayed in Turkey, and it now appears a desire to coach more regularly, with international basketball offering a limited window, appeals more.

Baldwin, who came to prominence guiding Auckland to five National Basketball League titles in the 1990s, assumed the national coaching reins from Keith Mair in 2001.

Success soon followed, New Zealand beat Australia in the world championship qualifying series to reach the United States.

Since then he's carved New Zealand into the basketballing world where they're no longer relegated to the back-blocks.

They finished 10th at the 2004 Olympics, but pushed the world's leading nations to the hilt, and despite possessing a poor record against Australia since 2004, have clocked up regular wins over powerhouses China and Lithuania.

But the sight of Baldwin genuflecting court-side during a Tall Blacks' game maybe numbered. He has even talked up his potential successor and long-time friend Nenad Vucinic, while hinting the Tall Blacks camp have been steadily preparing for his departure.

"It's not so much about players hearing my voice these days as it used to be. We have some tremendous internal leadership from a core group of players, and the message they espouse is the one I've been pushing for many, many years.

"Also I have the best basketball coach in New Zealand in Nenad Vucinic. He's a great teacher, a great analyst.

"It's not so much about me saying this or that or projecting myself into the mix.

"I just try and keep the players on the right pathway and they'll play their hearts out for the country."

- NZPA