Our Story
The essence of Jets Basketball is community.
We were one of eight foundation teams in the National Basketball League’s inaugural season in 1982. In 1992, we reached our first NBL Grand Final, and in 2020 we returned to the big stage once again. Originally known as the Palmerston North Jets, we became the Manawatū Jets in 2002 to better represent the wider region we proudly stand for.
After a short period out of the league, we re-entered the NBL in 2018, not just to compete, but to rebuild something bigger than basketball.
Because for us, this has never just been about wins and losses.
It’s about opportunity.
A Club Built on Pathways
Today, our vision centres firmly on community, particularly what we can offer young people across the Manawatū.
The kids playing on outdoor courts.
The students in school gyms.
The weeknight competitors at Arena Manawatū.
The dreamers who want to play at the highest level.
Our responsibility is to open doors for every young person in our region who aspires to go further in the game. That’s why we work closely alongside the Central Regional Basketball Foundation (CRBF) to strengthen the entire basketball ecosystem, from grassroots programmes and school initiatives through to academies, camps and community engagement.
CRBF delivers the development and we provide the aspiration. Together, we are building a genuine pathway, one that allows talent to grow, stay connected to the region, and see a clear line from playground to professional.
More Than a Team
Jets Basketball represents more than a roster.
We represent:
Pride in the Manawatū
Professional standards
Access and opportunity
A visible pathway for young athletes
A commitment to giving back
When kids watch the Jets, they’re not just watching a game. They’re seeing what’s possible.
And when our players step into schools, community courts, and development programmes, they are part of something bigger, a regional movement built on connection, belief, and opportunity.
This is Jets Basketball.
We’re opening doors for every Manawatū child aspring to play basketball at the highest level.
Creating Change
The sport of basketball is growing at an exponential rate in New Zealand and is second in popularity only to football.
Kiwi star Steven Adams has helped elevate the game nationally, but he is only part of a bigger story. Across the Tasman, Australian basketball has exploded in recent years, producing NBA-level talent at an unprecedented rate and strengthening the professional pathway throughout the region. The NBL in Australia has become a globally recognised development league, attracting international prospects and creating genuine professional opportunities for young players from both countries.
Together, New Zealand and Australia are becoming one of the most exciting emerging basketball regions in the world.
And yet, despite this momentum, the reality remains that once players leave high school, opportunities to continue playing competitively narrow significantly. For many talented athletes, the pathway becomes unclear.
That’s where the Jets model provides an alternative.
Through our professional team and our close alignment with grassroots and development programmes across the region, we provide a visible, credible pathway for local players. Kids growing up in the Manawatū can now see a clear line from playground to professional, and the opportunity to represent their region at the highest level.
Our board is fully committed to ensuring that the pathway to success remains open for the thousands of young people who compete in our region each season. Our objective is simple: to provide talented players with a genuine avenue to pursue the game they love, and to do so wearing their own jersey.
