Otago Nuggets Announce Mike Kelly As Head Coach

The Otago Nuggets are thrilled to announce the appointment of Mike Kelly as their new head coach for the upcoming 2025 Sal’s New Zealand National Basketball League (NZNBL) season. Kelly, a distinguished figure in basketball coaching circles, has signed a one-year deal and brings a wealth of experience from both Australia and the United States.

Kelly's basketball journey is marked by significant achievements. As a player, he competed in the Australian NBL and SEABL (South East Australian Basketball League - the precursor to NBL1) for 15 years. Transitioning into coaching, he began as an assistant coach in college basketball, working at both Vanguard University and Utah Valley University in the United States before returning to Australia. His coaching résumé includes assistant roles with the Townsville Crocodiles, Melbourne United and Perth Wildcats, and head coaching positions with the Cairns Taipans and South East Melbourne Phoenix. Notably, Kelly was named Coach of the Year during his time with the Taipans, and secured an NBL Championship as an assistant with Melbourne United.

Expressing his enthusiasm for the new role, Kelly stated; “The New Zealand League has been a really good, competitive league for a long time now, and the timing of where I’m at in my career gives me an opportunity to coach there now, which I’m super excited about.

“We’re in the middle of our recruiting phase right now, but in terms of what our list is going to look like this season, we’re looking to keep a strong local core, along with adding some length and athleticism with our import crew.”

Angela Ruske, General Manager of the Otago Nuggets, welcomed Kelly's appointment.

“Mike is an outstanding coach with a remarkable basketball pedigree. His ability to develop talent, build cohesive teams and drive success is exactly what we were looking for in our next head coach. The Otago Nuggets have a proud history, and we are confident Mike’s leadership will take the team to new heights in the upcoming NZNBL season.”

The 2025 Sal’s NBL season is set to commence on March 12, with the Nuggets set to begin their campaign with a home game against the Southland Sharks on March 14.

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