Dontae Russo-Nance enjoyed an outstanding second Sal’s NBL season with the Auckland Tuatara in 2022. The 17-year-old averaged 15.4 points, 4.6 assists and a league high 2.9 steals per game as the Auckland Tuatara advanced all the way to the NBL Grand Final. He scored a season high 26 points against the Sharks and scored in double figures in all but three of his 18 games – unsurprisingly he was named the NBL’s 2022 Youth Player of the Year.
As a Year 13 student at St Kentigern College, he led his school team to first place at the Zone 1 Nationals Qualifying Tournament where they defeated Westlake Boys in the Final. During the Auckland Secondary Schools season, he posted multiple 50-point games and a career high 61 points against Mt Albert Grammar School.
In August Dontae was selected to attend the Basketball Without Borders Asia NBA camp in Canberra. It was his second trip to Canberra in 2022 as in March he had been invited to train at the NBA Global Academy.
Dontae was named to the New Zealand team to attend the 2022 FIBA U18 Asia Cup in Iran but the tour was unfortunately cancelled.
Through late 2022 and early 2023 Dontae continued his education and basketball development at the prestigious Oak Hill Academy – a prep school in rural Virginia – with a programme that is designed to develop high level basketball athletes.
Dontae Russo Nance is, for the second consecutive year, the Male Junior Player of the Year. Accepting the award on his behalf is his father Shawn.
