Fan Favourite Darling to Start in 2022

Rams Supporters Celebrate Return of Local Talent

Max Darling will return to the Canterbury Rams in 2022, after completing the season in the top professional league in Romania.

Darling is the latest in a series of announcements confirming that local talent will be at the heart of next year’s squad.

Canterbury Rams Head Coach Judd Flavell says the local talent and trusted collaboration is a great foundation for the season ahead.

“Max is another piece in our plans, which happen to feature a strong core of Ōtautahi-based players,” says Flavell.

Max spent his high school years at both Nelson Boys College & Christs College while being part of the Mainland Eagles Academy. Max was a member of the Canterbury Rams in 2018 where he won the NBL Rookie of the Year award.  This same year he was also a member of the U19 Canterbury representative team that won the U19 National Championships with Max being named tournament MVP.  Darling advanced his skills as a Junior Tall Black, competing in the U19 FIBA World Cup averaging 13.7 points & 9.3 rebounds.  Max scored 17 points & 11 rebounds in a historic New Zealand win where he led to upset victory overworld powerhouse Lithuana (who were ranked 2^nd in the World).  These accomplishments led to Max winning the 2018 Basketball New Zealand Junior Male Athlete of the Year & the 2019 Orix Canterbury Sports, Young Sportsman of the Year.  The following year, he signed with the Australian Basketball League’s Illawarra Hawks.

The Tall Black Training Squad member signed his first professional contract at the age of 17, with top Croatain club KK Vrijednosnice Osijek.

At present, he plays for Romania’s Athletic Neptun Constanta, averaging a team high of 14.3 points per game and 7.3 rebounds per game.

The explosive, athletic forward will join Taylor Britt on the court as well as being active in community programmes, including Rams In-Schools, Rams Mentoring and Rams Camps.

“Max is well known by Rams supporters for how active he has always been in the community, in particular for his work with tamariki with disabilities. Fans will share our excitement about Max’s plans to return in a Rams uniform for 2022.”

Media enquiries – please contact Caleb Harrison, General Manager, gm@crbf.org.nz