5 Jul 2012
CARACAS (3x3) - Seventeen-year-old Tai Webster from New Zealand took a huge leap forward in his playing career this summer by becoming the youngest player to represent his country at a major world tournament.
This doesn't come as a surprise when you know that last year he helped New Zealand capture the first 3x3 U18 world title in Rimini, Italy.
"Winning that title in Rimini was a huge confidence booster for me and I felt good after that", Webster said.
Of course it has been challenging at times for the 1.86m guard to compete against much bigger and experienced players.
"It was a big step up, a lot of bigger players and a lot of smarter players", he explained.
No doubt that as Webster plays more and more games at a higher level he will come to realise what he needs to work on.
"It's been about trying stuff and seeing what works and what doesn't," he argued.
Webster's story is a perfect example of how players who might be more 3x3 oriented can also prove to be excellent five-on-five players.
With the World Tour starting in less than two weeks time - in Sao Paulo, Brazil - the whole basketball community will be watching to see if there might be the next Tai Webster ballin his way up the ladder.
Click here to see highlights of Tai Webster
FIBA