Right from a young age, basketball has been a huge part of Paul Henare's life.

The 33-year-old enjoyed a memorable playing career - attending two Olympic Games and two world championships with the Tall Blacks, while also spending 17 seasons in the New Zealand national league.

It was with the New Zealand Breakers that Henare achieved the most acclaim, playing in the team's first eight seasons, and ended his time with the club in style, when he was part of their inaugural 2010-2011 Australian National Basketball League championship winning side. He holds the record for the most games played [250] for the Breakers, and was the first player in franchise history to have his number [32] retired by the club at the beginning of last season.

Henare has made a swift and successful move into the coaching ranks, mentoring the Hawke's Bay Hawks in the last two New Zealand NBL seasons. He has won 21 of his 30 games in charge of the Hawks, steering them through to the final in 2011, and the semi-finals this season.

Earlier this year, he was also named as an assistant coach for the Tall Blacks for the Olympic qualifying tournament in Venezuela.

Basketball is all Henare has known since finishing high school and he said his ultimate ambition is to steadily climb his way up the coaching ladder and and continue to gain more experience.

"People ask me if I study or have a degree, and my answer to them is I have a degree in basketball. I've been studying the game of basketball for 18 years now," he said.

"I've been goal-driven my whole life. That's a goal of mine. I would love to coach the Tall Blacks one day, and I want to continue coaching professionally."

Henare was this week named as the new fulltime coach of the Southland Sharks for the next two years. He will replace foundation coach Richard Dickel, who will become Southland Basketball's development officer.

Coaching basketball at the elite level has always been at the back of Henare's mind. He began to consider it seriously as his career was winding down with the Breakers, and remains thankful to the Hawks organisation for giving him his first opportunity in the big time, two years ago.

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