The Giants who stand above the rest
The Nelson Giants celebrate 40 years on the court this season. To mark the milestone, Nelson Weekly assembled a panel of three judges to name the greatest Giants of all time.
The Giants are the longest serving side in the NZNBL and have developed a cult like following at the Hangar. The franchise has attracted hundreds of players and picking the best of the best was no easy task. Our panel of judges meticulously poured through every name to don the blue singlet and eventually selected their all-star five from the ten greatest local players, ten best imports, and ten local legends. There was plenty of debate and conjecture over whether success outside the Giants should be factored in, any disciplinary issues and how many seasons they spent in the region.
Nelson Giants all-star five
1. Nenad Vucinic
Serbian born, Nenad Vucinic made Nelson his home as a player for a decade, winning two NBL titles in the process. Nenad’s accomplishments were arguably more impressive with the clipboard, coaching the Tall Blacks for more than 100 games and holds the record for most NBL coaching wins with 164.
2. Josh Pace
American guard Josh Pace was only in Nelson for three seasons, but his impact was enormous. His first journey to New Zealand in 2006 saw him earn all-star five honors before winning the league’s MVP in 2007 after averaging 22.4 points, 8.1 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.3 steals in 18 regular season games, leading the Giants to its first championship since 1998. Pace returned in 2013, finishing the season as the league's leading scorer.
3. Phill Jones
“The Reefton kid,” Phill Jones is a two-time Olympian and has scored more points in the New Zealand NBL than any other Kiwi player. Phill was a member of the Tall Black’s historic run in the 2002 world championships where the side finished fourth. The sharpshooter was the first player in New Zealand NBL history to reach 400 games, played 14 years for the Tall Blacks and fittingly had his number 13 Giants jersey retired.
4. Mika Vukona
Mika Vukona needs little introduction in Nelson basketball circles. Mika played 15 seasons for the Giants over a career which spanned two decades. Not only one of the greatest to have ever worn the blue singlet, but after a 16-year career with the Tall Blacks will go down as one of the country’s best basketballers. Mika’s contributions to the Giant’s success both on and off the court cannot be measured solely by his staggering stats.
5. Frank Smith
No doubt an unfamiliar name for younger fans, American Frank Smith was selected as an NBL all-star in both 1986 and 1987. Frank was most outstanding forward two years in a row and was one of the early stars from the states to make his mark in New Zealand.
Our panel:
Bill Dahlberg: Bill has served as the Giants president, head coach, general manager and been at the forefront of building basketball in Nelson over the past 35 years. Bill was a key figure in developing the game at a college level and has coached and managed at a national level. Bill took a junior New Zealand team to the United States for the first time and led a resurgence of the Nelson Sparks. With the Giants dangerously close to relegation in the late nineties, Bill was also instrumental in cultivating a more professional culture at the franchise which elevated them to perennial title contenders.
Judy Totoro: Judy has had possibly the best seat in the house during her near four-decade run on the bench as a scorer. The team’s number one fan has missed just a single game in 39 seasons, only her son’s wedding keeping Judy from watching her beloved Giants. Judy was also the unofficial hostess for any imports arriving to Nelson.
Steve Fitchett: A former Nelson Bays rugby rep, Steve’s association with Nelson basketball began in 1980, involved with numerous successful college sides right up until 2012. Steve was manager of the Giants from 2000-2007, managing director from 2008-2017. Steve was on the NZNBL board for a decade and also chaired the NBA for four years in the 2000’s. Steve’s expertise saw him called upon to join a prestigious panel assembled to select the greatest 40 players in NZNBL history.
Nelson Giants ten greatest locals
Mika Vukona, Phil Jones, Judd Flavell, Finn Delany, Ed Book, Nick Costley, Mike Fitchett, Tony Rampton, Brent Wright, Nenad Vucinic. Coach- Trevor Wright.
Both Nick Costly and Tony Rampton were certainties in this selection as stalwarts in the early ears of the side. Bill says with Finn Delany receiving an invite to an NBA camp, that would indicate a “pretty dam good” player. Judy says Ed Book helped raised the profile of the Giants. Bill says Brent Wright was consistently one of our best guard over ten years. Trevor Wright was the first coach of the Nelson NBL team in the ‘80s and included in his 12 national title wins was the NBL in 1994.
Nelson Giants ten greatest imports
Kyle Adnam, Josh Pace, Kenny Perkins, Darryl Johnson, Jacque Tuz, Joe Wyatt, Ray Cowles, Frank Smith, Kenny Stone, Darnell McCulloch. Coach- Nenad Vucinic.
The most hotly debated selection was between Darnell McCulloch and Donnell Thomas with McCulloch just sneaking into the top ten. Bill says Kenny Stone came and took over New Zealand basketball. Steve says Frank Smith was like a head on a power pole and his arms went on forever. He says Josh Pace was in a league of his own while if you’re looking for forward power, look no further than Kenny Perkins. Judy says Kyle Adnam was an exciting point guard and turned the team around when it was struggling, and Ray Cowles was a good, honest, hardworking player.
Nelson Giants legends
Dave Taylor, Tony Shallcrass, James Campion, Chris Simpson, Andy Bennett, Carlo Varrichio, Tim Johnson, Brendan Bailey, Lance Toma, Sam Dempster. Coach- Gary Williams.
Steve says Dave Taylor is half the reason there is an NBL is New Zealand. Current captain Sam Dempster has become a fan favourite for his work both on the court and in local schools. Judy says Chris Simpson was an amazing player and a “leader of the guys.”