2024 New Zealand NBL season

The 2024 NBL season was the 43rd season of the National Basketball League. The competition increased to 11 teams in 2024 with the Tauranga Whai joining the league for the first time.

2024 New Zealand NBL season
League	New Zealand NBL
Sport	Basketball
Duration	27 March – 28 July
Number of games	20
Number of teams	11
Regular season
Minor premiers	Canterbury Rams
Season MVP	Lachlan Olbrich (Canterbury Rams)
Top scorer	Luther Muhammad (Franklin Bulls)
Finals
Champions	Canterbury Rams
Runners-up	Auckland Tuatara
Grand Final MVP	Lachlan Olbrich (Canterbury Rams)

The 2024 season saw the return of a pre-season blitz for the first time since 2018^[1] as well as the introduction of a mid-season trade window.^[2][3][4]

The regular season commenced on 27 March in Christchurch, with the Canterbury Rams hosting the Nelson Giants at Cowles Stadium, and contained 16 weeks. The 2024 Final 6 featured in home venues, with five games being played on the home court of the highest seeded team from 17 to 28 July.^[5][6] The Rams won their second straight championship in 2024.^[7][8]

Team information

Team	City	Arena	Colours	Head Coach	Import	Import	Import
Auckland Tuatara	Auckland	Eventfinda Stadium		Aaron Young	Cameron Gliddon
Canterbury Rams	Christchurch	Cowles Stadium		Judd Flavell	K. J. Buffen	Lachlan Olbrich	M. J. Walker
Franklin Bulls	Auckland	Franklin Pool and Leisure Centre		Sebastian Gleim	Luther Muhammad	Joshua Scott	Lee Skinner
Hawke's Bay Hawks	Napier	Pettigrew Green Arena		Sam Gruggen	Isaiah Moore	Josh Roberts	Lucas Sutherland
Manawatu Jets	Palmerston North	Arena Manawatu		Natu Taufale	Mustapha Heron	Quashawn Lane	Kahlil Whitney
Nelson Giants	Nelson	Trafalgar Centre		Michael Fitchett	Theo Akwuba	Daniel Grida	Kobe Langley
Otago Nuggets	Dunedin	Edgar Centre		Brent Matehaere	Zaccheus Darko-Kelly	Ben Henshall	Kimani Lawrence
Southland Sharks	Invercargill	Stadium Southland		Guy Molloy	Caleb Asberry	Cooper Robb
Taranaki Airs	New Plymouth	TSB Stadium		Sam Mackinnon	Sam Froling	Mitch McCarron	Elijah Minnie
Tauranga Whai	Tauranga	Mercury Baypark		Matt Lacey	Phillip Carr	Demarcus Holland
Wellington Saints	Wellington	TSB Bank Arena		Zico Coronel	Ben Ayre	Malik Benlevi	Terry Henderson

Summary

Regular season standings

Pos	Team	W	L	Qualification
1	Canterbury Rams	17	3	Semi Finals
2	Auckland Tuatara	16	4
3	Taranaki Airs	14	6	Play-in
4	Wellington Saints	14	6
5	Franklin Bulls	13	7
6	Nelson Giants	8	12
7	Hawke's Bay Hawks	8	12
8	Tauranga Whai	8	12
9	Otago Nuggets	7	13
10	Southland Sharks	4	16
11	Manawatu Jets	1	19

Source: NZNBL

Finals

	Play-In Matches					Semi Finals					Final
						1	Canterbury Rams	112
	3	Taranaki Airs	87			3	Taranaki Airs	111
	6	Nelson Giants	74									Canterbury Rams	102
												Auckland Tuatara	87
						2	Auckland Tuatara	78
	4	Wellington Saints	67			5	Franklin Bulls	75
	5	Franklin Bulls	104

Awards

Performance of the Week

Round	Player	Team	Ref
1	Hyrum Harris	Wellington Saints	[9]
2	Keanu Rasmussen	Hawke's Bay Hawks	[10]
3	M. J. Walker	Canterbury Rams	[11]
4	Lachlan Olbrich	Canterbury Rams	[12]
5	Isaiah Moore	Hawke's Bay Hawks	[13]
6	Tai Webster	Otago Nuggets	[14]
7	Isaiah Moore	Hawke's Bay Hawks	[15]
8	Isaac Davidson	Franklin Bulls	[16]
9	Te Tuhi Lewis	Tauranga Whai	[17]
10	Izayah Le'afa	Wellington Saints	[18]
11	Ben Ayre	Wellington Saints	[19]
12	Izayah Le'afa	Wellington Saints	[20]
13	K. J. Buffen	Canterbury Rams	[21]
14	Callum McRae	Southland Sharks	[22]
15	Josh Roberts	Hawke's Bay Hawks	[23]
16	Isaiah Moore	Hawke's Bay Hawks	[24]

Statistics leaders

Stats as of the end of the regular season^[25][26]

Category	Player	Team	Stat
Points per game	Luther Muhammad	Franklin Bulls	25.7
Rebounds per game	Josh Roberts	Hawke's Bay Hawks	13.2
Assists per game	Corey Webster	Auckland Tuatara	7.7
Steals per game	Kobe Langley	Nelson Giants	2.7
Blocks per game	Josh Roberts Sam Timmins	Hawke's Bay Hawks Otago Nuggets	1.7

Regular season

• Most Valuable Player: Lachlan Olbrich (Canterbury Rams)^[27]
• Most Outstanding Guard: Luther Muhammad (Franklin Bulls)
• Most Outstanding NZ Guard: Taylor Britt (Canterbury Rams)
• Most Outstanding Forward: Lachlan Olbrich (Canterbury Rams)
• Most Outstanding NZ Forward/Centre: Robert Loe (Auckland Tuatara)
• Scoring Champion: Luther Muhammad (Franklin Bulls)
• Rebounding Champion: Josh Roberts (Hawke's Bay Hawks)
• Assist Champion: Corey Webster (Auckland Tuatara)
• Most Improved Player: Taylor Britt (Canterbury Rams)
• Defensive Player of the Year: Robert Loe (Auckland Tuatara)
• Youth Player of the Year: Lachlan Olbrich (Canterbury Rams)
• Coach of the Year: Judd Flavell (Canterbury Rams)
• All-Star Five:
  • G: Taylor Britt (Canterbury Rams)^[28]
  • G: Isaiah Moore (Hawke's Bay Hawks)
  • F: Luther Muhammad (Franklin Bulls)
  • F: Robert Loe (Auckland Tuatara)
  • C: Lachlan Olbrich (Canterbury Rams)

Finals

• Grand Final MVP: Lachlan Olbrich (Canterbury Rams)^[29][30]