KEY POINTS:
Nenad Vucinic will replace Tab Baldwin as national men's basketball coach, with his first goal to qualify the Tall Blacks for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Vucinic, who was today appointed for a year, was Baldwin's right hand man through two world championships, an Olympics and a Commonwealth Games.
Such was the Serbian-born's contribution to a golden era, Baldwin often referred to him as his "co-coach".
Vucinic migrated to New Zealand as a teenager and first played for the Tall Blacks in 1992, retiring after the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
He played more than 200 National Basketball League (NBL) games for Nelson, helping them to a championship in 1994.
As coach, he guided Nelson to their second NBL title in 1998.
He won his fifth Coach of the Year award this year after his 144th career coaching victory, passing Baldwin for the most wins in NBL history.
"Nenad is the man for this job," Basketball New Zealand chief executive Bryn McGoldrick said.
"He has the complete confidence of this organisation and the players, and has the experience and respect internationally to consolidate and enhance the Tall Blacks' international reputation.
"There is no one in New Zealand more qualified to take over from Tab and he passionately wants the job," McGoldrick said.
Vucinic's first task is to plot the downfall of Australia in the 2007 Oceania championships, which double as the qualifying event for Beijing.
"As an organisation, we are totally focused on beating Australia in August, 2007, and Nenad is fundamental to us achieving this goal," McGoldrick said.
"He has the ability to enhance the winning culture that he was part of with Tab.
"There was no tougher competitor to don a Tall Black singlet and we think he'll create a team culture that will give us the result that counts."
Although this was a "campaign specific appointment" Vucinic had the attributes to be a long-term head coach of the Tall Blacks, McGoldrick said.
- NZPA
