The Manawatu Jets have announced Tony Webster as their head coach for the 2025 National Basketball League (NBL) season.
The 64-year-old father of former NZ Breakers and Tall Blacks guards Corey and Tai Webster will take over one of the NBL's worst-performing franchises this century in the Palmerston North-based Jets.
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“I’m excited to join the Jets as head coach. It’s a fantastic opportunity to bring my passion for basketball to this team, and I’m ready to hit the ground running," said Webster.
"Our goal is to build a competitive and dynamic squad that our fans will be proud to support."
Webster, a former New Yorker and NBL star, relocated to New Zealand in 1986 and has made plenty of noise in the basketball community since he landed.
He played in the NBL for North Shore, where he was named in the All-Star Five twice. During this time, he also won most outstanding guard, assists champion, and scoring champion.
Webster previously coached the now-defunct Harbour Heat in the NBL in 2008-09, compiling a 20-14 record and two playoff appearances, and, more recently, was assistant coach at the Franklin Bulls.
He has also held the head coach position at a national age-group level, coaching the New Zealand under-17 team in 2010-11. Most recently, Webster has been director of basketball at Westlake College and is involved with skill development programmes for school-age children.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Tony Webster as the new head coach of the Jets. His wealth of experience, both locally and internationally, makes him a perfect fit for our vision of building a competitive and community-focused team," said Jets principal Tim Mordaunt.
"We believe Tony’s leadership will inspire our players and bring a new level of excitement to our fans."
Webster felt his experience in high performance and grassroots basketball would help attract top-tier talent to Palmy and turn around the Jets' fortunes.
“The Jets have a lot of potential, and I see a great opportunity to take this team from the bottom of the table to the top," Webster said.
"I will focus on developing local talent, attracting high-calibre players, and creating a culture of excellence both on and off the court. We’re going to work hard, play hard, and make our mark this season."
The Jets are coming off a 1-19 season and have finished last in the standings the last three years and five of the last six full NBL seasons (excluding the NBL Showdown in 2000) following a two-year hiatus in 2016-17.