NBA Draft 2023: New Zealand links Mojave King and Rayan Rupert selected in second round

Mojave King played for the Southland Sharks in 2022. Photo / Photosport

New Zealand has a new link to the NBA, with Dunedin-born Mojave King hearing his name called in the second round of Friday’s draft.

King was drafted with the 47th pick by the Los Angeles Lakers, however he will be on his way to the Indiana Pacers as the pick was part of a trade between the franchises.

The 21-year-old played in New Zealand as recently as 2022, turning out for the Southland Sharks in the National Basketball League, and spent two years in the ANBL’s Next Stars programme, split between the Cairns Taipans and Adelaide 36ers.

King, a 195cm guard, spent last season with the G-League Ignite in the NBA’s development league, averaging eight points and five rebounds, and is expected to compete for a spot on the roster for the rebuilding Pacers.

He becomes the fourth New Zealand-born athlete to be drafted into the NBA, following in the footsteps of Sean Marks, Aron Baynes and Steven Adams. Raised in Australia, King has, however, declared he wants to represent the Boomers on the international stage.

King was drafted just moments after fellow ANBL Next Stars graduate Rayan Rupert, with the New Zealand Breakers’ French wing going into the draft projected as a first-round pick but sliding into the second round.

Rupert was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers with the 43rd pick, becoming the fourth Breakers player to be drafted in the last four years. Rupert isn’t the only Breakers link in Portland, joining former assistant coach Jacob Mooallem who works for the team as an analytics coach.

“I think the Portland Trail Blazers just got the steal of the draft,” Breakers general manager Simon Edwards told Newstalk ZB.

“At the end of the day, he got his name called out and that’s the most important thing.”