Another schoolboy who attended the trials in Auckland this week, 2.10m centre Steven Adams, also 17, was ruled out because of school commitments at Wellington's Scots College.
Meanwhile, experienced point guard Mark Dickel returns to the national squad four years after his last appearance for the Tall Blacks.
While there is lack of obvious size in the roster, coach Nenad Vucinic wasn't too perturbed.
"Traditionally we haven't had as much height as other teams,'' he said.
"Sometimes it's a disadvantage, sometimes it's an advantage. We're used to it.''
He said 2.13m Alex Pledger was ``a genuine big guy internationally, so we do have him''.
The Tall Blacks go into a five-day camp tomorrow before heading for the Stankovic Cup, where they will face Angola, China and Russia.
They then fly to Europe for two other four-team competitions in Macedonia from August 19 to 21 and Turkey from August 22 to 25.
The Oceania qualifying series against Australia will be played in Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney from September 7 to 11.
Tall Blacks: Tom Abercrombie (Waikato), Benny Anthony (Waikato), Mark Dickel (Southland), Michael Fitchett (Nelson), Isaac Fotu (Breakers), Casey Frank (Wellington), Leon Henry (Wellington), Kirk Penney (Breakers), Alex Pledger (Waikato), Lindsay Tait (Wellington), Mika Vukona (Nelson), Corey Webster (Wellington),
- NZPA
