For Tall Fern Kalani Purcell, age is just a number.
At 24 years old, Purcell was last week named to captain the women's national side as one of the youngest players to be entrusted with the role.
More impressively, Purcell was tasked with leading the team through one of theirmost important campaigns to date – the Tokyo Olympics Pre-Qualifying tournament.
Taking over from her older sister, veteran Natalie Taylor, she said the announcement came as a shock.
Kalani Purcell during the Olympic Pre-Qualifying game against the Philippines. Photo / Getty
Having made her Tall Ferns debut back in 2013, at just 18 years old, Purcell boasts a wealth of international basketball experience.
She most recently played for the Melbourne Boomers in the Australian Women's National Basketball League, and it's also not the first time she's skippered the New Zealand side.
Purcell led the team at the Asia Cup and to victory at July's William Jones Cup, after ringing endorsements from her teammates impressed head coach Guy Molloy.
But with Taylor, who co-led the team alongside Micaela Cocks to claim bronze at last year's Commonwealth Games, back at full fitness after having a baby, Purcell didn't expect to retain the role.
"I thought my sister Nat would've been the captain because she has been before me. She has so much experience and does such an amazing job," Purcell said.
"[But] they have faith in me and believe that I can lead, and so I will try my best to do so."
Natalie Taylor. Photo / Photosport
Purcell's appointment was fully endorsed by Taylor, who said she would ensure she and the other senior players in the team shared the workload.
"I'm proud to have handed that mantle to my little sister and will continue to be a mentor figure as needed," Taylor said. "I'm excited to watch her develop into the great leader of our national team that I know she's capable of.
"Micaela [Cocks] and I still maintain that leadership role in the team and often say to each other that while Kalani is the captain, full responsibility of leadership doesn't fall on her shoulders.
"We try and share that throughout the entire team, people just to be accountable and responsible."
Purcell made her first outing since retaining captaincy on Thursday night, when the Tall Ferns played their opening game of the Pre-Qualifying tournament and their first in front of a home crowd since 2015.
Kalani Purcell in action against the Phillippines. Photo / Photosport
The side claimed a massive 111-54 win over the Philippines at Trusts Arena but the true challenge comes this weekend, with big games against China and South Korea.
Only the top two nations competing in the four-team tournament will progress through to the next round.
Motivating many of the players is the haunting memory of the 2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament, where the team's Rio dream was dashed by a 64-62 loss to Cuba.
With many of the same players from that campaign making up the current squad, Purcell said there was a feeling of intent within the camp.
"That was such a dream-crushing moment losing that game, so this tournament and having the chance that we do, I feel super fired up and I feel like everyone else feels super fired up," Purcell said. "Everyone seems really intense about this weekend.
"It's the first time in a long time we've been able to actually have this chance to be able to make the top two ... for us, it's just about competing, we'll all work our hardest."
The Tall Ferns tip-off against China at 5:30pm today and at the same time against South Korea tomorrow.
