Stars Imports Gone
Tagged in: NBL
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Youthtown Auckland Stars coach Kenny Stone has blamed inexperience and immaturity for the sudden resignation of imports Tashaan Forehan-Kelly and Danny Lambert midway through the Dominion Finance NBL.
The league leaders found out about the Americansí decision to leave via email and Stone tracked them down to the departure lounge at Auckland Airport, too late to change their minds.
ìFor both of them, this was their first professional job out of university and maybe they just didnít understand how things work in overseas leagues,î he said. ìMaybe they expected it to be like college.
ìNew Zealand isnít a financially strong league, but we were up front with what we would pay them and we paid them that, along with the normal things that come in a standard contract Ö accommodation and a car.î
A release issued by the Stars today said Forehan-Kelly and Lambert were making demands outside their contract terms and although the organization had made some adjustments, they were not prepared to negotiate further.
ìI think the team is shocked and angered that their team-mates have let them down like this Ö not so much at them leaving, but how it has happened right before a big game.î
Auckland (7-2) are on the road against Inspire Net Manawatu Jets tonight.
ìI donít believe the culture of the team had anything to do with it,î said American-born Stone, who came to New Zealand as an import in 1989.
ìAt the airport, they both expressed how much they enjoyed playing with the team and me, but felt they were better off making the decision to return home.î
Of the pair, Forehan-Kelly probably made the biggest impact in the NBL. In his last outing before leaving, he set a new franchise scoring record of 37 points (12/19 FG, 7/10 3pt, 6/7 FT) in a 111-102 win over Cartridge World Otago Nuggets.
He averaged 20.3 points (47.1% FG, 84.6% FT, 48.8% 3pt) over eight games, while Lambert had 13.8 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.7 steals over nine appearances.
Forehand-Kelly had been signed through an agent and had recommended Lambert to the Stars, who will now have a week to find replacements before their next game against Century City Wellington Saints.
ìWeíve got some leads and weíre working on that now,î said Stone.
