Whai (basketball)
| Whai | |
|---|---|
 | |
| League | NZNBL |
| Founded | December 2021 |
| History | Whai 2024– |
| Arena | Mercury Baypark |
| Location | Tauranga, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand |
| Team colours | Turquoise & navy blue |
| General manager | John Miller (spokesperson) |
| Head coach | Matt Lacey |
| Ownership | Bay of Plenty Basketball Foundation |
| Website | Whai.basketball |
Whai are a New Zealand basketball team based in Tauranga, Bay of Plenty. The team competes in the National Basketball League (NBL) from 2024 and play their home games at Mercury Baypark.
Men's team[edit]
In December 2021, the Bay of Plenty Basketball Foundation were granted a license to enter a men's team into the National Basketball League (NBL) for the 2024 season. The team was initially named the Bay of Plenty Stingrays.[1][2] The team was later rebranded as Whai, with whai as a noun meaning stingray in Māori.[3] As a verb whai means to chase or pursue.[4]
In October 2023, the team announced Matt Lacey as their inaugural coach.[5][6] In their NBL debut on 28 March 2024, Whai defeated the Hawke's Bay Hawks 91–70 at Mercury Baypark.[7]
Current roster[edit]
Note: Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA-sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationality not displayed.
| Whai roster | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | Coaches | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Updated: 21 April 2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Women's team[edit]
Whai Basketball debuted in 2022 with a women's team in the inaugural season of the Tauihi Basketball Aotearoa.[8] As of 2023, the women's team played their home games at Queen Elizabeth Youth Centre.[9][10]
References[edit]
- ^ "SAL'S NBL NAMES BAY OF PLENTY STINGRAYS AS FIRST EXPANSION TEAM FOR 2024". nznbl.basketball. 23 December 2021. Archived from the original on 23 December 2021.
- ^ Hinton, Marc (23 December 2021). "Bay of Plenty Stingrays unveiled as Kiwi NBL expansion team for 2024". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
- ^ "About Whai Basketball". whai.basketball. Archived from the original on 20 October 2023.
- ^ "whai". Te Ara Māori Dictionary. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
- ^ "WHAI NAME MATT LACEY HEAD COACH FOR INAUGURAL SEASON". nznbl.basketball. 20 October 2023. Archived from the original on 20 October 2023.
- ^ Conchie, Sandra (21 October 2023). "Tauranga-based Whai men's basketball team set to join NBL, Matt Lacey revealed as head coach". NZHerald.co.nz. Bay of Plenty Times. Archived from the original on 22 October 2023. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
- ^ "WHAI VS. HAWKS: WHAI ANNOUNCE THEMSELVES WITH DREAM DEBUT". nznbl.basketball. 28 March 2024. Archived from the original on 28 March 2024.
- ^ "TAUIHI BASKETBALL AOTEAROA SEASON PREVIEW". tauihi.basketball. 28 June 2022. Archived from the original on 30 June 2022.
- ^ "Tauihi 2023 Schedule" (PDF). tauihi.basketball. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 February 2023.
- ^ Conchie, Sandra (8 August 2023). "Basketball: Tauranga women's team Whai Basketball inspires new players and fans". NZHerald.co.nz. Bay of Plenty Times. Archived from the original on 20 October 2023. Retrieved 20 October 2023.