Laken Wairau to IUWBB

[Class of '66 Old Fart]

Indiana will be adding a guard from overseas midseason, according to The Press News out of New Zealand.

Laken Wairau, a 5-foot-9 guard out of New Zealand, will reportedly join the team at the end of December.

“It’s pretty surreal,” the 18-year-old from Christchurch High School told The Press. “Coming from a small country like New Zealand and moving to the US is a pretty big deal, but I’m nothing but excited about it and I’ve just got to embrace the opportunity.”

The Hoosiers have been in some need of backcourt depth. Junior college point guard Victoria Kemokai left the team in October, and the Hoosiers currently have 10 active players on their roster.

 

Wairau fast tracked to Indiana basketball scholarship

HANNE DAVIS

Last updated 14:50, November 24 2015

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KIRK HARGREAVES/FAIRFAXNZ

Laken Wairau has found herself making last minute preparations to join the University of Indiana Hoosiers in December

       

Laken Wairau has got a case of the giggles, disbelieving ones, as she takes in the fact she's heading to play basketball for a division one American college at the end of December.

The year 13 student from Christchurch Girls' High School called it "surreal" as she prepares to take up a place at the University of Indiana as the only foreign player on the team roster when she joins them in just over a month's time.

KIRK HARGREAVES/FAIRFAXNZ

Laken Wairau has found herself making last minute preparations to join the University of Indiana Hoosiers in December

 

"You know Kiwis are typically hard working people," said Wairau

"So I just have to go over there and prove myself, show them what I've got and represent New Zealand."

It'll be a swift integration for Wairau. She lands in the USA, and has two training sessions before the guard takes to the court for the first time as a member of the team, nicknamed the Hoosiers.

"I get there a couple of days before I'm meant to have my first game, then I train the next day, and the day after that, then straight into a game," she laughed.

Wairau has won a secondary schools title, played with the New Zealand Junior Tall Ferns, represented the the Canterbury Wildcats for the last three years, competed at all levels of Canterbury Junior representative team and has also got four seasons for the UC Women's Premier team under her belt. 

She said all those achievements will pale in comparison to the next challenge and where it might take her.

"You know it's a new year, a new team, a new country, so that pretty much all goes out the window and I've got to start over now."

Wairau is not just an excellent basketball player, she has also been an exemplary academic student. She believes her work ethic must get even stronger if she's to cope with the demands of her college years.

"It has to go up a notch. The intensity is just going to be full on the whole time, no slacking.

"So I think the major difference will be the intensity and that level of basketball I'll be exposed to over there. It'll be way different to here."

Wairau was both excited and nervous about the proposition of stepping on court with some of the world's best female basketballers. Although she'd love an opportunity to play WNBA, she just wants to be the best player she can be, hopefully wearing a Tall Ferns jersey.

"At the moment I'm just hoping to get through my four year undergrad and then come back to New Zealand, but you never know!

"My goal is to make the Tall Ferns in the future, maybe get to an Olympic Games, that would be a pretty huge accomplishment for me."

Playing for the Wildcats and working with the Mainland Eagles Academy has gone a long way to building Wairau into the player she is, but she's determined to keep pushing herself, mostly to set an example for younger players, including her sister Sapphire.

"I've just got to set a good example for her and hopefully do well over there, so she knows she has something to aspire to and be like.

"She's definitely looking to go over there when she's finished high school, so If I do well, then it gives her more motivation to do well."

The process almost caught her by surprise, and she spoke of a hectic period over the last six weeks, having initially thought she would most likely go to college mid way through 2016.

"It's pretty surreal. Coming from a small country like New Zealand and moving to the US is a pretty big deal, but I'm nothing but excited about it and I've just got to embrace the opportunity."

[JaybobHoosier]

Thanks 66! Hope this will really help the team. Curt Miller was doing a fantastic job, and hope it continues under the new regime!

[mamasa]

Great find (both the article and player)!!

[mamasa]

http://youtu.be/T8mid9ov0Zw

Highlight mix- very high shot!

[Class of '66 Old Fart]

http://youtu.be/T8mid9ov0Zw

Highlight mix- very high shot!

Makes you wonder if she grew up playing against bigger brothers and had to put the high arc on the ball to shoot over them.

[mamasa]

I don't get overly excited from highlight videos, but she looks solid. She seems to be exactly the type that Moren wants!

[HoosierAloha]

That length of the court pass was nice. She also had a few other flick of the wrist type passes that had some heat on them.

Think that first song was a twerps song???

[Class of '66 Old Fart]

Per Mike Miller, Laken is now on campus and will very quickly start practicing with the team.

[mamasa]

I haven't seen/heard much about Laken Wairau. I know a lot were pretty excited that she came here, but haven't heard much since

[ccgeneral]

I haven't seen/heard much about Laken Wairau. I know a lot were pretty excited that she came here, but haven't heard much since

She played a few mop up minutes.

 

http://iuhoosiers.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=7574&path=wbball