Three Tall Blacks will make their third appearance at the world basketball champs in Turkey next month with veterans Pero Cameron, Phil Jones and Kirk Penney named in the 12 strong squad for the tournament.
The New Zealand coach Nenad Vucinic admits he didn't think Cameron's fitness would be up to scratch, having missed the entire NBL season recovering from stress fractures in his left foot.
But Vucinic says Cameron showed he was up to it during trials in Auckland over the weekend.
While Vucinic's named 12 players, one may have to drop out if Vucinic manages to convince NBA player Sean Marks to come out of retirement.
Teams in the Tall Blacks group at the world champs include world number three Spain, Lithuania, France, Canada, and Lebanon, coached by former Tall Black coach, Tab Baldwin.
The Tall Blacks are ranked at 13th in the world.
The team is: Pero Cameron captain, Thomas Abercrombie (Waikato Pistons), Benny Anthony Jnr (Harbour Heat), Craig Bradshaw (unattached), Casey Frank (Wellington Saints), Phill Jones (Nelson Giants), Jeremy Kench (Christchurch Cougars), Mike Fitchett (Nelson Giants),Kirk Penney (NZ Breakers), Alex Pledger (Waikato Pistons), Lindsay Tait (Wellington Saints), Mika Vukona (Nelson Giants).
