12
Jun
Cut to the Jase
Behind Jayden Cecil's switch to trans-Tasman rivals
Young and rising guard Jayden Cecil was the latest guest on the Cut to the Jase podcast.
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One of the brightest young prospects to come out of southeast Queensland has revealed why he decided to switch allegiances and play international basketball for New Zealand instead of the green and gold.
Jayden Cecil, who currently is based in the US and plays at Utah Prep, joined NBL legend Jason Cadee on the latest edition of the Cut to the Jase podcast and spoke about how much it meant to him to play for the Kiwis.
The 17-year-old dynamic guard played his junior basketball on the Gold Coast and at Logan Basketball but said switching to New Zealand was about representing his family.
"I made the decision to represent New Zealand on the international stage about, I want to say, only a couple months ago now," Cecil said on the basketball.com.au podcast.
"I'd like to come out and say this isn't taken away from anything. I am Australian, born and raised in Brisbane, Australia. I went to school in Brisbane.
"I feel like this switch was not only a basketball decision but also a family representing who I am, being Māori and stuff like that. It was just an all-around decision for me."
Cecil, who was one of the talents featured on the NBL Next Stars team which won the Adidas Eurocamp in Italy last week, said representing New Zealand was about so much more than just basketball.
"If I went to New Zealand, I feel like I could make an impact on and off the floor, just representing, again, who I am and representing many different kids and people in Australia that are multicultural," he said.
"So I think for me, it was just kind of taking that all into account and that's kind of the reason why I decided to go with New Zealand."
Cecil makes the decision having represented Queensland South at the national championship stage and said he would love to play for the Tall Blacks at a FIBA World Cup or Olympic Games but was focused on the upcoming FIBA U17 World Cup in Turkey later this month.
The Kiwis head into that tournament after recently beating Australia at the Oceania Championships.
Cecil believed New Zealand had a great chance of success despite being in a tough pool.
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