After years apart, Charlisse and Krystal Leger-Walker will finally play together again as Tauihi Basketball Aotearoa heads into a fifth season stacked with WNBA and WNBL talent.
It’s unlikely there are two more excited pro basketball players than sisters Charlisse and Krystal Leger-Walker ahead of the 2026 season of G.J. Gardner Homes Tauihi Basketball Aotearoa.
Tauihi (meaning “to soar” in te reo Māori) is poised to take another step forward in 2026 – and Charlisse’s return to our shores has added further momentum to a competition continuing to claim its place in the New Zealand sporting landscape.
Her rookie season with the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun and her return home to join older sister Krystal at the Tokomanawa Queens have hit the headlines here, providing the ideal springboard for heightened interest and bringing new fans to the league.
Charlisse’s return may be the headline act, but it is part of a much bigger story for Tauihi in 2026, with arguably the deepest collection of established and emerging talent the competition has ever assembled.
For the sisters, it’s a much-awaited family reunion.
“We are crazy excited,” says Krystal, who will play alongside Charlisse for the first time in three years after injury woes prevented them from playing together for the 2degrees Tall Ferns.
Krystal helped blaze the trail to US college basketball, a path now followed by many more New Zealanders, with Charlisse taking it to another level with her ascension to the WNBA.
Their sister, 20-year-old Tannika, is in the US with the University of Nebraska-Omaha, while the original source of all this talent – mother Leanne – is a Tall Ferns legend who played in the 2000 and 2004 Olympics.
Krystal, now 28, played college basketball for six years, swapping from Northern Colorado University to Washington State University to spend two years with Charlisse, 24.
“They were great times,” says Krystal, adding they love to play together and that doing so for the Wellington-based Queens will be the first time at professional club level.
“Charlisse is super-excited. She’s had a lot of love from people over the internet and social media and all that – but this is the first time she’ll be able to connect with people in person.”
There is a strong whānau feel in Tauihi, and Krystal says all clubs and players are pushing their brands hard and getting out in the community to spread the basketball gospel and attract new fans.
“I think this year is going to be the best yet,” she says of the league as it enters its fifth year, with a growing profile and social audience helping the competition reach its growing fanbase.
Krystal says word of Tauihi is even beginning to spread internationally.
“There is so much quality here now – from overseas players and those coming through from high school and other local players,” she says.
“It’s a great experience for fans to come and watch the games in person. They are also broadcast on Sky at fan-friendly times; most of our games are played between Friday and Sunday each weekend.”
That word ‘quality’ is key. Not only is Tauihi attracting home players like Charlisse, but players from WNBA and Australia’s WNBL circles are also recognising Tauihi as a high-quality competition and an attractive overseas experience during their off-season.
This year they include Laina Snyder, a US international entering her fourth Tauihi season playing for the back-to-back champions, the Tauranga Whai; Taylor Mikesell, formerly of the Atlanta Dream in the WNBA, suiting up for the Queens; Mikayla Pivac, a guard with Christchurch-based Mainland Pouākai; and Julie Wojta, the internationally experienced forward for the Dunedin-based Southern Hoiho. More announcements are expected.
The quality across the league, headlined by Charlisse’s return, is likely to light the fires of fans and young Kiwi players alike this season. New spectators to Tauihi can expect a physical, intense sporting experience featuring end-to-end action, competitive matchups and big personalities.
“There are so many good young players coming through, and now they will be able to see and play against Charlisse and those with WNBA experience,” says Krystal.
“They’ll be able to measure themselves against her and see how close they are or how good they must be to make the Tall Ferns and the WNBA. Tauihi is now such a good mix of Tall Ferns, imports, inspired and inspiring locals and high school players coming through.”
Some of those Kiwi players include:
- Imani Rasmussen (Northern Kāhu) – only 16, already a Tall Fern and a standout at the U17 World Cup; living proof of the clear path from school to elite basketball.
- Emme Shearer (Tauranga Whai) – highest-scoring Kiwi in Tauihi last season before an international breakout in 2026 with the Tall Ferns. Holds the record for the most NCAA Division 1 appearances by any Kiwi, playing 158 games, with 135 starts, at the University of Portland, scoring 1688 career points.
- Esra McGoldrick (Mainland Pouākai) – returning after the birth of her first child, she is the all-time leader in blocks in Tauihi and the Tall Ferns’ leading scorer last year.
- Zoe Richards (Southern Hoiho) – former Tall Fern and ongoing Hoiho stalwart, holds multiple franchise records and has previously won the Tauihi Most Improved Player award – a classic example of elite players making a mark in their own communities.
- Ava Jones (Mainland Pouākai) – a Year 13, U17 World Cup player and 2026 U20 Nationals MVP, she is from New Zealand basketball royalty, with father Phill Jones a former Tall Black and NBL great and siblings Hayden and Maia Jones both playing in the US college system.
The 2026 season opens on September 25, with Krystal feeling the Queens have a real shot at the title – though she has plenty of respect for the Whai, champions in 2024 and 2025.
“They have really good systems and coaching staff, and they do a good job of really getting out in their community,” she says.
“This year, the quality will be up there. So come and watch our game.”
That invitation extends beyond the final whistle. Through the Meet the Players initiative, all fans are invited onto the court after the game to spend time with players, coaches and mascots, collect autographs and connect with the people at the heart of the competition.
With established internationals, returning stars and the country’s next generation sharing the floor, there has never been a better time to be a fan.
The 2026 season tips off on September 25. Get tickets and find out where to watch at tauihi.basketball.com