Dallas Mavericks Guard Luka Doncic Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The Tall Blacks face a monumental task to qualify for next year's Olympic Games.
New Zealand will need to beat teams containing some of the top players in the NBA if they're to get to Paris.
The side will need to win a qualifying tournament in Athens against Slovenia, Croatia, Egypt, Greece and Dominican Republic.
Slovenia has Luka Doncic of the NBA champion Dallas Mavericks, Greece has Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks and the Dominican Republic has Karl-Anthony Towns of the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Slovenia is ranked 11th in the world, Greece 14, Dominican Republic 18th, New Zealand 21st and Croatia 30th.
Both Greece and Egypt are well-known opponents for the Tall Blacks; the Kiwis falling to Greece 74-83 in their third game of the FIBA World Cup 2023, then fending off Egypt 88-86 in their final World Cup game - that win earning New Zealand an invite to next year's Olympic Qualifying Tournament.
There are four final Olympic qualifying tournaments, to be played in early July, with the four winners to gain a place in the Olympic tournament.
The Tall Blacks have qualified for the Olympics twice, in 2000 and 2004.
Meanwhile the Tall Ferns will play their Olympic qualifying tournament in China in February.
They need to avoid coming last in a tournament that includes China, France and Puerto Rico to qualify for Paris.
