Basketball New Zealand

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Toby Robson, Dominion Post
If new Wellington Saints coach Doug Marty sounds like he’s done the interview before, it’s because he has.

The 47-year-old American jetted into the capital this week for the latest stop on a coaching career that has taken him from London to Kuwait, where he guided Kazma Sports Club to the Fahed League Cup final last season.

His impressive international resume convinced Saints owner Nick Mills to pounce when Marty returned to the United States too late to relaim a job in the NBA development league.

Marty admits New Zealand’s national basketball league won’t be the highest-profile or highest-paid job he has held during his 22-year coaching career, but the Californica native said yesterday he has rarely felt more positive heading into a coaching post.

“I left the decision on whether I was going to return to Kuwait till the last minute before deciding I didn’t want to go back. I was at a bit of a loose end, then a colleague told me about the Saints job.

“The chance to come to New Zealand was perfect timing, really. I have heard so much about it and I’ve never been to this part of the world. I seemed a great combination of things had fallen into place.”

After his experience in the Middle East, Marty said dealing with Mills and the Saints had been a breath of fresh air.

“I wanted to come to a situation that was a bit more organised. They have nice budgets over there, but I was getting frustrated with the organisation.”

Marty met most of the Saints players for the first time on Tuesday night.

“I got a good look at the guys and they worked really hard. It looks like a nice group, so hopefully we can retain everybody and have a competitive summer.

“Compared to the D-league and places like that, it’s a little bit undersized, but of course, the imports aren’t here yet. At first glance, it’s a little bit smaller in every position, but that’s not a problem.

“As long as we can develop skills, get fit and build chemistry, then that’s no problem at all.”

Marty hopes to bring an up-tempo style to the NBL, but says that will depend on the makeup of his squad when the season starts next March. And he’s offering no guarantees to Saints regulars.

“We want to keep it as broad and open as possible, and give everybody a chance to make their mark and show what they can do.

“I want to be as inclusive as possible for as long as possible. I said to the guys, ‘Everyone has a clean slate’.”

Expectations will be high for a man who has degrees from Stanford and Harvard universities, and a career that has taken him to Luxmebourg, England, Denmark and Norway, and three years as head coach of the Charleston Irrigators in the development league.