New Zealand big attracting attention

As International recruiting expands in college basketball, New Zealand has put itself on the map and big men like Sam Waardenburg are sure to keep college coaches looking there for talent.

A 6-foot-9 and skilled forward who attends Rangitoto College -- same school that produced current Kentucky player Tai Wynyard -- Waardenburg impressed mightily playing in the States during July.

In front of college coaches, Waardenburg showed off the ability to carry an offense with his inside/out scoring ability at the Fab 48. Then he followed up his Las Vegas performance with a strong outing at Adidas Nations.

"I've liked it in the States and the competition has been great," said Waardenburg. "I've learned a lot from it.

"In New Zealand we have some good players but we get like two per team. In place like the Vegas we get to play against teams that have several great players and the floor the play is full court."

So far, Waardenburg has heard from programs like Miami, SMU, Utah, Virginia, Utah State, Washington State and Washington and he was watched by the head coaches from each of those programs during July.

Because his school year finishes up in December, Waardenburg could be eligible to come to the States for the second semester of the 2016-17 season and either play or redshirt similar to what Wynyard and another New Zealand product, Matt Freeman of Oklahoma, did last winter.

Waardenburg says that he's much more likely to wait and begin at whichever school he picks at the start of the 2017-18 school year and that he'll spend the next few months researching the programs recruiting him and setting up visits.