Paul Henare on the NZ Breakers’ Early Years, the Tall Blacks’ 2002 World Champs Run, and Japan’s Basketball Boom

Former Tall Blacks head coach and New Zealand Breakers legend Paul Henare joins the podcast to reflect on his illustrious basketball journey. From being a cornerstone of the New Zealand Breakers’ early days to coaching in Japan’s rapidly growing B.League, Henare shares his unique insights into the game across multiple continents.

We dive into the 2002 Tall Blacks squad that stunned the basketball world with a fourth-place finish at the FIBA World Championships, the evolution of the New Zealand Breakers from their beginnings to championship glory, and Henare's transition into coaching.

Now leading the Shimane Susanoo Magic, Henare discusses the explosive growth of Japanese basketball, the challenges of coaching in a foreign league, and the exciting prospects of the upcoming Premier League competition in Japan.

Topics Include:

• The NBL coaching contingent in Japan: Henare, Trevor Gleeson, Aaron Fearne, Shawn Dennis, Kevin Braswell, and Mody Maor (2:00)
• The explosive growth of Japan’s basketball scene and the upcoming Premier League (11:00)
• The early days of Paul Henare’s basketball career (15:00)
• The 2002 Tall Blacks squad and its impact on New Zealand basketball (18:00)
• Toughest opponents faced in NBL and FIBA competition (30:00)
• The New Zealand Breakers’ early struggles and rise to prominence (34:00)
• Reflecting on the Breakers’ 2011 championship triumph (44:00)
• Transitioning into coaching and overcoming challenges (55:00)
• Recruiting NBL talent to Japan, including Nick Kay and Perrin Buford (1:01:00)
• Bryce Cotton’s potential move to play in Asia next season (1:03:00)
• Lessons from Henare’s basketball journey and what’s next (1:05:00)

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Head to Aussie Hoopla to check out previous podcasts featuring:

• Australian Basketball Legends: Luc Longley, Andrew Gaze, Shane Heal, Mark Bradtke, David Andersen, Andrew Vlahov, Phil Smyth, CJ Bruton, Chris Anstey, Brett Maher, Sam MacKinnon, John Rillie, Tony Ronaldson, Damian Martin, Brad Newley
• Current NBL Stars: Bryce Cotton, Chris Goulding, Xavier Cooks, Tyler Harvey, Dejan Vasiljevic, Jordan Hunter, Flynn Cameron, Keli Leaupepe, Jason Cadee, Mitch McCarron, Anthony Drmic, Luke Travers, Sam Froling, Jesse Wagstaff
• Our Finest Coaching Minds: Brian Goorjian, Barry Barnes, Joey Wright, Adrian Hurley, Adam Forde, Aaron Fearne, Rob Beveridge, Ian Stacker, Shawn Dennis, Dean