NELSON GIANTS
2012: Sixth.
Coach: Liam Flynn
Key players: Veteran shooting guard Phill Jones, classy American swingman Josh Pace and experienced forward Mika Vukona.
Prospects: Unbeaten at the NBL pre-season tournament, the Giants should improve on last year's sixth placing. Vukona is a beast on the boards and Pace is about as good a player as there is in the league. He was the tournament's leading scorer in 2012.
SUPER CITY RANGERS
2012: N/A.
Coach: Aik Ho.
Key players: Forward Duane Bailey and import Carl Buck.
Prospects: New to the league. Filling the spot the Auckland Pirates vacated. Unknown quantity.
WAIKATO PISTONS
2012: N/A.
Coach: Doug Courtney.
Key players: Import Vernon Hamilton and Tai Webster.
Prospects: Back after a year out of the league. Look a pale imitation of the team which won back-to-back titles in 2008 and 2009.
HAWKES BAY HAWKS
2012: Beaten semifinalists.
Coach: Tab Baldwin.
Key players: Some strong local players including Everard Bartlett, Paora Winitana and Dion Prewster.
Prospects: Baldwin is a crafty coach and he has too much talent to work with for the Hawks not to be involved in the playoffs. Potential finalists.
TARANAKI MOUNTAIN AIRS
2012: Fifth.
Coach: Dave Bublitz.
Key players: Prolific scorer Jack Leasure and experienced forward Aaron Bailey-Nowell.
Prospects: On paper, Taranaki looks a middling side. But it performed well last season and is capable of causing the odd upset.
SOUTHLAND SHARKS
2012: Eighth.
Coach: Paul Henare.
Key players: Import Kevin Braswell, experienced point guard Luke Martin and swingman Leon Henry.
Prospects: Have a useful starting five and more depth than last season. But there is a lot of young talent in the Sharks and their best years may be ahead of them.
MANAWATU JETS
2012: Beaten semifinalists.
Coach: Mike Kalavros.
Key players: League MVP Nick Horvath and imports Marcel Jones and Chris Hagen.
Prospects: New coach but plenty of returning players. Horvath was the best player in the league last year and the big centre's form could dictate how well the team goes this season.
WELLINGTON SAINTS
2012: Beaten finalists.
Coach: Pero Cameron.
Key players: Lindsay Tait, Casey Frank, Corey Webster, Dillon Boucher. Too many to list.
Prospects: The Saints are stacked with talent and coach Cameron might want to look for a new job if they do not win the title.
