NZL - Citizen Jones to compete for Tall Blacks place

AUCKLAND (FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament) - Tall Blacks coach Nenad Vucinic now has a big decision to make ahead of the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) with American forward Marcel Jones having been awarded citizenship in New Zealand.

Casey Frank, a forward who first played for the national team at the 2006 FIBA World Championship, is the incumbent player for the naturalized spot.

American guard Kevin Braswell is also hoping to receive his citizenship, which would make three players competing for the one naturalized spot.

“Both Marcel and Kevin have trained with us, and they’re going well,” Vucinic said.

“I wouldn’t really comment on [selection] right now, until we make a decision on Monday, but we could go either way – guard or forward.

“They would all help us – it’s just a matter of getting the most help.”

Jones, who was born in Los Angeles, moved to New Zealand three years ago and played for the Manawatu Jets.

He might have received his citizenship sooner had he not left the country in a bid to win playing contracts with different teams.

Jones is married to a New Zealander.

“It was hard, because I’ve been here and I’ve left, but I’ve always come back," he said.

"I’m married to a Kiwi, I want to represent the country and I’m committed to the country, but I’ve also got to make a living.”

The only tournament that Frank has missed with New Zealand since joining in 2006 was 2008 when Vucinic took Nick Horvath to the OQT in Athens.

In an interview on the Basketball New Zealand website, Jones admitted there is now something other than basketball that he needs to work on to be ready for a potential trip to the OQT in Caracas.

“I get to learn the haka,” he said.

“That was most exciting – I love the haka.

“My Maori is a bit rough around the edges, but I’ll learn it soon enough.”

New Zealand will play in Group D at the OQT against The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) and Angola.

FIBA