Naismith Trophy in the Land of the Long White Cloud

AUCKLAND (New Zealand) - New Zealand, whose Tall Blacks are one of the 32 teams competing later at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023, is the latest country to welcome international hoops' biggest prize to its shores thanks to the Trophy Tour presented by J9.

Dillon Boucher, who played for the Tall Blacks team at the 2002 World Cup in Indianapolis that was just two victories away from winning the event and lifting the Naismith Trophy, and is now CEO of Basketball New Zealand, finally got his hands on the greatest prize in international basketball and carried it to several iconic locations in Auckland.

He took the trophy for the Skywalk at Sky Tower, which is New Zealand’s highest building. Standing 192m (692ft) above the ground, the Sky Tower has 360 degree views of the Auckland skyline. 

The Naismith Trophy paid a visit to the steps in front of the Auckland Museum, a neoclassical building constructed in the 1920s and 1950s that stands on Observatory Hill, the remains of a dormant volcano, in the Auckland Domain.

What would a Trophy Tour be without a TV exposure? Boucher spoke about the Naismith Trophy (above) to Fairfax Media New Zealand as it made its appearance on television.
 

They Trophy then found its way to  Auckland Silo Park. This is now a public park that incorporates parts of a former industrial site with outdoor concerts, films and markets.

Future basketball stars, and current player Tyrell Harrison, were on hand to greet Boucher and the trophy at the Auckland-Jean Batten School (above).  

Auckland Harbour

The Naismith Trophy had a photo shoot at Auckland Harbor, one of many beautiful spots in the city.

 

The trophy also had a photo shoot at Weta Workshop Unleashed. Visitors to Weta can explore interactive and immersive make-believe film sets.

The trophy was also photographed in the Wynyard Quarter, a reclaimed piece of land on the Waitemata Harbour at the western edge of the Auckland waterfront. 

FIBA