Puke Lenden
Personal information
Born (1980-01-04) 4 January 1980
NationalityNew Zealand
Listed height195 cm (6 ft 5 in)
Career information
High schoolNapier Boys' (Napier, New Zealand)
Playing career1998–2015
PositionShooting guard / small forward
Career history
As player:
1998Hawke's Bay Hawks
1999Auckland Rebels
2000–2002Hawke's Bay Hawks
2003–2011Waikato Titans/Pistons
2014Southland Sharks
2015Super City Rangers
As coach:
2013Waikato Wizards
Career highlights and awards

Puke Lenden (born 4 January 1980) is a New Zealand former professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball League (NBL). He attended Napier Boys' High School in Napier, New Zealand.[1]

After debuting in the NBL in 1998 with the Hawke's Bay Hawks, Lenden joined the Auckland Rebels in 1999 and won his first championship.[2] He returned to the Hawks in 2000 and played there until the end of the 2002 season. Lenden moved to Waikato in 2003 and played for the Titans/Pistons until the end of the 2011 season. He won championships with the Pistons in 2008 and 2009, and was named Finals MVP in 2008.[3][4] Following Waikato's withdrawal from the league in 2012, Lenden retired from the NBL.[5]

In 2013, Lenden coached the Waikato Wizards women's side[6] and played for the NZ Maori team that won gold at the FIBA Oceania Pacific Championship.[7]

Lenden came out of retirement in June 2014 to help the Southland Sharks, after the team lost four players to suspension.[8] He continued on in the NBL in 2015, playing his final season with the Super City Rangers.[9]

References

  1. ↑ NBL BASKETBALL - Homecoming for Puke not so welcome
  2. ↑ Sharks Add To Their Squad
  3. ↑ "Another title for Pero". tvnz.co.nz. 21 June 2008. Archived from the original on 11 October 2012.
  4. ↑ "Ultimate Role Guy Takes MVP". Basketball.org.nz. 21 June 2008. Archived from the original on 2 July 2008.
  5. ↑ Anderson, Ian (29 January 2013). "Waikato Pistons back in the action". Stuff.co.nz. Archived from the original on 6 February 2013. The squad is being developed with an eye to the future following the retirement of a number of experienced, long-serving players such as Puke Lenden, Ray Cameron and Mike Homik.
  6. ↑ Waikato Wizards lose national women's basketball title
  7. ↑ 2013 BBNZ Annual Report
  8. ↑ Southland Sharks bulk up their sagging stocks
  9. ↑ James Blond Supercity Rangers
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