Tall Blacks honour for Harris, Young

Tough forward Harris, who has been a revelation since joining the Wildcats last season, was picked in a strong squad of 13 which includes former Wildcats guard Corey Webster and a stack of NBL talent.

Experienced and well-respected assistant coach Young was named in a three-man coaching panel, headlined by new head coach Judd Flavell.

The Tall Blacks take on the Philippines on the road on November 21 before hosting Chinese Taipei in Christchurch four days later.

Both Harris and Young have been regulars among the Tall Blacks setup in recent times, including face a star-studded Team USA during the 2023 FIBA Men’s World Cup in the Philippines before joining the Wildcats.

10 NBL players will suit up for New Zealand in the 2025 FIBA Asian Cup Qualifiers 👀 pic.twitter.com/cHuBuCXIKs

— NBL (@NBL) November 3, 2024

They also have a wealth of experience at New Zealand Basketball League level, with Young leading Auckland Tuatara to three consecutive grand finals as head coach before signing with Wellington Saints during the off-season.

Harris was a dominant force in the NZNBL last season with Wellington and was an early contender for the competition’s MVP before getting sidelined with a knee issue which also saw him miss the Tall Blacks’ Paris Olympic Games qualifiers.

Taylor Britt, who played for the Wildcats during the 2020-21 NBL season, is another familiar face in the squad.

It comes after Wildcats young gun Ben Henshall was selection in Australian Boomers' squad which will face Thailand (November 21) and Korea (November 24) in a pair of FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers on the road this month.