Delany trades Giants garb for Saints singlet
Finn Delany will play for a new New Zealand National Basketball League team for the first time in his career.
The 24-year-old played six seasons for his hometown Nelson Giants before spending the 2019 NZ NBL season playing in Serbia.
Yesterday, he signed for the defending champion Wellington Saints for the 2020 season.
He said at this stage in his career, the Saints were a better fit for him.
‘‘I’ve got very fond memories of playing for the Giants in Nelson. I grew there and it helped me become the basketball player I am, but just at this stage of my career and where I am in my life, there wasn’t much of a thought [of going back to Nelson].
‘‘Personally, I want to win a championship. I’ve played in the New Zealand league for six seasons, since I was a schoolboy, and I’ve had limited playoff experience and haven’t won a championship. Winning a championship is 100 per cent what I want to do in this league.’’
Delany has taken his game up a level this year in the Australian NBL with the New Zealand Breakers, in spite of the team underperforming.
He’s averaging career highs in minutes (26), points (10.83), rebounds (5.33) and assists (2), even after missing the start of the season with an ankle injury.
That injury is behind him, but he will still be keen for a short break before the NZ NBL season, which starts on April 9. That should be helped if the Breakers don’t make the ANBL playoffs – which appears likely at 4-10 – which would see their season end on February 14.
‘‘We’ll see how the ANBL season plays out. I might be able to take a little break before the New Zealand league starts. That’s pretty important nowadays. The injury is back to 100 per cent now and I’m feeling good on the court.’’
In his last NZ NBL season in 2018, Delany was voted both the most outstanding forward and most outstanding Kiwi forward after averaging 19.9 points and 7.7 rebounds per game.
Saints chief executive Jordan Mills said they were thrilled to add Delany to their squad, which went 20-0 to win their 11th title last season.
‘‘He’s someone on and off the floor who we have respected for a long time and we’re really excited to get him in a Saints uniform.
‘‘Adding Finn alongside local signings Jordan Ngatai and Taane Samuel gives us a really good base to build on our challenge of defending our title next year, and we’re hopeful to add one or two more signings before Christmas.’’