Bradshaw Soaring To Hawks
Tagged in: NBL, Tall Blacks
Warning: file_exists() [function.file-exists]: open_basedir restriction in effect. File(/var/www/vhosts/basketball.org.nz/httpdocs/resources/uploads/2008/02/bradshaw-web.thumbnail.jpg) is not within the allowed path(s): (/home/bbnz/:/tmp:/usr/local/lib/php/) in /home/bbnz/domains/tallblacks.org.nz/public_html/wp-includes/post.php on line 3943
Toby Robson, Dominion Post
Tall Blacks star Craig Bradshaw has pledged his allegiance to the 0800 Easy LPG Hawke’s Bay Hawks for this season’s Dominion Finance NBL.
Bradshaw, who is playing for the Brisbane Bullets in Australia in the Hummer Championship NBL, has a contract with the Hawks, though it contains an out clause should he choose to play in Europe.
Hawks general manager Michael Barbour said he was thrilled at the prospect of Bradshaw playing in Napier, but didn’t want to raise false hope with fans.
“Craig’s agreed that if he plays in New Zealand in 2008 it will be with the Hawks,” Barbour said.
“With a player of his quality and talent he is understandably actively looking at his options in Europe.
“But we are hoping he will decide instead to come back home and spend time with the Tall Blacks in camps before they head to Greece [in July] and be a star with them instead of playing a smaller role with a big European club.”
Bradshaw is enjoying a solid season with the Bullets, who are in third place in the ANBL, averaging 12.5 points per game and 5.5 rebounds, with a 46 per cent field goal percentage.
Barbour said the Hawks had approached the former Wellingtonian after he had discussed the possibility of playing in New Zealand with his Tall Blacks teammates Paora Winitana and Paul Henare.
“He said he’d heard good things about the Hawks which we were pleased to hear.”
Bradshaw’s decision to throw his hat in the ring with the Hawks will be disappointing to the Wellington Saints, the team he started his career with in 2002.
It is a double dose of bad luck for the Saints who will farewell one of their most faithful servants this season with guard/small forward Damien Ekenasio also heading to Hawke’s Bay.
Ekenasio made his Saints debut in 2002 and was a member of the championship winning team the following year.
