The Saints mean the world to McLean. A born-and-bred Wellingtonian, he debuted for the team in 1996 against the Hutt Valley Lakers as a 17-year-old Rongotai College schoolboy. He holds the record for games played for the club (269) and has spent 16 seasons with them, winning three championships in 2003, 2010, and 2011.
Chris Skelton/Stuff
Troy McLean, right, celebrates the Wellington Saints title win in 2011 against the Hawke s Bay Hawks. McLean has played the fourth most games in NBL history (320), also spending two seasons with the Manawatū Jets (2013-14) and another in 2006 with the defunct Harbour Heat. Injuries and a shortage of top-level depth in New Zealand basketball with the Australian NBL operating at the same time helped pave the way for a Saints’ return.
Photosport/NBL
Pero Cameron was the man everyone wanted to play with and hated to play against in the NBL.
To celebrate the 40th year of the New Zealand National Basketball League a special panel has ranked the 40 best players in the competition’s history. The panel consisted of former Canterbury Rams and Tall Blacks coach Keith Mair, long-time Nelson Giants administrator and former NBL board member Steve Fitchett, former Tall Blacks and New Plymouth Bears coach Steve McKean, Wellington Saints owner Nick Mills and former NBL player and
Stuff basketball writer Marc Hinton. Sky Sport commentator and NBL media manager Huw Beynon chaired the group.