The man could repurpose an ice block.
The former National Basketball League general manager, who now heads up Sky’s New Zealand Basketball League management team, is always looking for ways to innovate and lift the profile of the sport.
He was behind the introduction of player timeouts, the Rapid League, the trade window and the player draught in 2020.
But his latest idea, which has come to fruition, is really out there.
New Zealand’s elite leagues — the NBL and Tauihi Basketball Aotearoa — are set to add new teams in 2025.
And those teams will come from India.
Yes. You read that right. India.
A whole different time zone and an unlikely bedfellow.
The proposed expansion is backed by the owners of the Indian National Basketball League (INBL).
Under the proposal, playing licences would be granted to the INBL to enter one team in the NBL and one team in Tauihi.
The teams would be owned by the INBL but would be based in New Zealand.
The playing rosters will be filled with the best Indian players and spots would also be open to international imports and New Zealand players.
Basketball New Zealand (BBNZ) and INBL have signed a memorandum of understanding and are working through the process of finalising participation agreements.
Both parties are optimistic an agreement will be reached in the next three to four weeks.
Nelson said the benefits for BBNZ would be huge.
"We are really excited to be able to take, not just basketball, but the whole country and showcase it in the most populated country in the world," Nelson said.
And having INBL teams based in New Zealand "would also open our leagues to new fans in Aotearoa New Zealand where more than 300,000 people of Indian ethnicity live".
"There is no upfront cheque if that is what you are asking. But hopefully there is a benefit for everyone involved in regards to viewership and attendances ... and the prospect of more sponsorship and commercial partners."
It also creates a path for further broadcast deals.
The introduction of an Indian-owned team could spell trouble for Queenstown’s bid to enter the league, however.
Queenstown has a provisional playing licence in place but the backers have been unable to take up the licence because the stadium does not meet the league’s criteria. The licence has been put on hold.
Nelson said the optimal amount of teams in the NBL would be 12 but "the door remains open to Queenstown".
"We see that as a really key opportunity here in New Zealand, but at this stage they are just not ready to be able to take up the option to play."
The introduction of an Indian team in the NBL would lift the number of teams to 12.
Basketball in India is booming and INBL chief executive Parveen Batish views the potential move into New Zealand as the perfect next step to advance the game in India.
“Playing in these two strong New Zealand leagues will help create aspirational pathways for Indian players, which will drive participation and engagement across India,” Batish said.
The Otago Daily Times understands BBNZ is close to finalising or has finalised a multi-year deal to have every game of the Tauihi league broadcast live on ESPN throughout the United States.
That would be an enormous boost for the sport.
