Tall Black with sights set on the NBA

Tai Webster's career highlight so far is playing for the Tall Blacks at last year's World Cup in Spain. Photo / Alan Gibson

Each week until the annual ASB YSPOTY awards function on November 28, we profile past winners as we count down to the 25th annual event which honours the region's top young college sportspeople

Tai Webster (Westlake BHS) 2012

Tai Webster has kicked on nicely from his time as the ASB YSPOTY supreme winner in 2012.

He was a key cog as point guard in another successful Westlake BHS basketball side that season. "I recall the year really well because we had a lot of success and fun with a very talented team," said Webster, now 20.

In October 2012, he averaged 24 points a game for Westlake at the schools nationals and had already won a senior title with the Auckland Pirates and signed with the Breakers as a development player for 2012-13.

"I do recall the ASB awards night. I really didn't want to attend because at the time I thought I was silly to think a basketball player would win the sportsman of the year award just because basketball in NZ is still on the rise compared to many of the other sports and we had so many young sportsmen and women do great things in their own sports. But my mum assured me that I had no choice in the matter and that she would drag me there if she had to!"

His career highlight so far is playing for the Tall Blacks at the 2014 World Cup in Spain, with his older brother Corey soon to rejoin the Breakers after coming close to breaking into the NBA. Tai admits Corey has been an inspiration to him.

Now the younger Webster is into his third season playing college ball for the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

"Things are going good for me with the Huskers. I've got two more seasons left here and I'm improving and learning a lot about myself. Playing for the Breakers has always been something I've wanted to do and they stay in touch with me frequently just to see what my plans are for the upcoming season. So I don't think it would be much of a surprise if I'm back playing for the Breakers in the near future."

Cecilia Cho (Pakuranga College) 2010

Before Lydia Ko, there was Cecilia Cho. The young Korean-born Cho was in irrepressible golfing form as a Year 11 student during the 2010 school year at Pakuranga College. Cho was the first golf supreme award winner - Ko won in 2011-12 - and first out of the east Auckland school.

With a work ethic unrivalled other than by Ko, Cho helped her Pakuranga team to the Auckland titles and won several tournaments in the senior ranks. She was the top Australasian women's amateur in 2009-10 and was named Pakuranga's senior sportsperson of the year in 2010, at just 15. She was the world's top-ranked female amateur for a time. These days Cho makes her living playing the Asian circuit and lives in South Korea.