Former US junior rep Chase Jeter signs with the Hawks

American basketballer Chase Jeter has signed to play for the Big Barrel Hawks in this year's New Zealand national men's basketball league.

A former elite United States basketball prospect has signed with Hawke’s Bay’s Big Barrel Hawks for the 2026 NBL, which starts at the end of next week.

Chase Jeter, now 28, was in the US team that won the 2014 FIBA Americas U18 Championship, and qualified for the 2015 World Junior Championship. The 2.1-metre athlete from Las Vegas was most recently playing for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers in the NBA G League.

His early senior years were disrupted by injuries, and after going undrafted in the 2020 NBA draft, he took two years off to finish his master’s degree at the University of Arizona.

He returned in the Austrian league, and played a season in the Czech Republic before returning to play in the US leagues.

Hawks management said his profile aligned closely with the team’s focus on building a “balanced, winning group” as it marks 50 years since foundation team Hadleigh Homes won the national championship tournament in 1976, and 20 years since the Hawks’ only NBL final win in 2006.

Across his professional career, Jeter has spent time in international leagues in Europe and Asia, gaining experience in high-performance environments where physicality, discipline and role execution are critical.

Hawks general manager Jarrod Kenny said Jeter brought a clear point of difference to the group.

“Chase gives us presence inside and understands how to play the game at a high-level mentally. He does the things that contribute to winning.”

New head coach Will Lopez said Jeter’s fit within the system was a key factor in the signing. “He’s a guy who impacts the game without needing touches. He screens, rebounds and defends at a high level, which is exactly what we need from that position.”

Jeter, who has yet to arrive in Hawke’s Bay, said: “I’m excited to join the Hawks and be part of a group that’s focused on winning. I’m ready to get to work and do whatever the team needs.”

The Hawks open their season at the Rodney Green Arenas with a Saturday game against Tauranga Whai on April 11, starting at 4pm, preceded by a Rapid League match.

Doug Laing is a Hawke’s Bay Today reporter, based in Napier with more than 50 years in the news industry, mostly covering news, sports and other events and issues in Hawke’s Bay.