New Zealand basketball player
Reuben Te Rangi (born 14 October 1994) is a New Zealand professional basketball player for the Auckland Tuatara of the New Zealand National Basketball League (NZNBL). He is a regular New Zealand Tall Black.
Early life
Te Rangi was born in Auckland and raised in the South Auckland suburb of Manurewa.[1][2] He attended Auckland Grammar School and played junior basketball for Counties Manukau Basketball Association.[3]
Professional career
Australian NBL
Te Rangi made his debut in the Australian NBL during the 2012–13 season as a development player with the New Zealand Breakers. He was subsequently a member of the Breakers' championship-winning team.[4] For the 2013–14 season, he was elevated to the Breakers' roster on a full-time contract.[4] In March 2015, he won his second NBL championship when the Breakers defeated the Cairns Taipans in the NBL Grand Final.[5] A year later, he helped the Breakers reach the 2016 NBL Grand Final series, where they were defeated by the Perth Wildcats.[6]
In April 2016, Te Rangi joined the Brisbane Bullets.[7] In February 2019, he was named the NBL's Best Sixth Man and Most Improved Player.[8]
On 22 July 2020, Te Rangi signed a two-year deal with the South East Melbourne Phoenix.[9]
On 24 March 2022, Te Rangi signed a two-year contract extension with the Phoenix.[10] In January 2023, he played his 300th NBL game.[11]
New Zealand NBL
Te Rangi made his debut in the New Zealand NBL in 2012 with the Harbour Heat[2] and subsequently won the Rookie of the Year award.[12]
In 2013, Te Rangi joined the Southland Sharks and helped them win the championship.[13] He returned to the Sharks in 2014 but was cut mid-season following an off-court incident in New Plymouth.[14]
For the 2015 season, Te Rangi joined the Super City Rangers.[15] He returned to the Rangers in 2016 and helped them reach the NBL final, where they lost to the Wellington Saints.[16]
For the 2017 season, Te Rangi was welcomed back to the Southland Sharks.[14] He helped the Sharks reach the NBL final, where they lost to the Wellington Saints.[17] In 2018, Te Rangi helped the Sharks avenge their defeat to the Saints by beating them in the final behind his Finals MVP performance.[18]
For the 2019 season, Te Rangi joined the Wellington Saints.[19] He went on to play in his fourth straight NBL final, where he won his third NBL championship.[20] He played for the Canterbury Rams in 2020[21] and the Auckland Tuatara in 2023.[22] He re-joined the Tuatara in 2024.[23]
NBL1
On 11 March 2021, Te Rangi signed with the Knox Raiders for the 2021 NBL1 South season.[24] He re-joined the Raiders for the 2022 NBL1 South season.[25]
National team career
In 2012, Te Rangi played for the Junior Tall Blacks at the FIBA Oceania Under-18 Championship and the Albert Schweitzer Tournament.[2][26] He made his debut for the Tall Blacks in 2013 and played at the FIBA Oceania Championships in the same year.[3] He went on to play at the 2015 FIBA Oceania Championship.[26] He captained the Tall Blacks at the 2017 Asia Cup in Lebanon, and in 2018, he was a member of the bronze medal winning team at the Commonwealth Games.[3] He played during the 2019 FIBA World Cup Asia Qualifiers, but missed the World Cup due to injury.[3]
In July 2023, Te Rangi was named in the Tall Blacks squad for the 2023 FIBA World Cup.[27]
Personal
Te Rangi is the son of Alex and Piloma, and he has two siblings, sister Aerin and brother Dante.[14]
