Davidson Back for 2022 season

Isaac Davidson celebrates with fans after defeating the Taranaki Mountainairs in 2021. Credit: Render Creative

The EnviroNZ Franklin Bulls are pleased to announce that fan favourite and longtime Bulls player Isaac Davidson will rejoin the team for the 2022 Sal’s NBL season.

Head Coach Morgan Maskell is rapt with having Isaac back in Franklin colours, saying “Isaac has been around the franchise since the beginning, so when I was appointed Head Coach he was the first player I called. The fact that Isaac verbally committed immediately was fantastic!”

Isaac is Samoan and was born & raised in Auckland; playing his junior basketball for Rangitoto College & Waitakere West Auckland. Davidson also played in junior New Zealand national teams before going to America to play for Somona State University. When Davidson returned to New Zealand after college he immediately joined the Franklin Bulls. Davidson is currently playing for the New Zealand Breakers in the Australian NBL.

Davidson is excited to be returning for his third season with the EnviroNZ Franklin Bulls and

Isaac Davidson drives against the Mountainairs in the 2020 NBL Showdown. Credit Render Creative

his passion for the fans and community is clear, saying “I want this side of Auckland to have a team to get behind. It’s an amazing community and we easily have the best fans in the league. They deserve a successful team out there and I’m so hyped to play for that.”

The 24 year old wing started all 9 games he was available for in the 2021 Sal’s NBL season where he averaged 13.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game in 31.5 minutes of action per game.

Maskell knows that Davidson is one of the league’s top young stars saying, “He’s a versatile skilled 6’7 wing that plays intentionally and thoughtfully. Isaac can do a little bit of everything; he can handle it, shoot the ball, get to his pullup, and is an unselfish player so opposing teams have to put a lot of thought into how they go about defending him. He is also a very capable defender whom can guard a variety of positions which makes things easy as a coach.”

Davidson has a lot of trust in Coach Maskell saying “He was my first high school coach and he helped set the foundation for a lot of skills that have gotten me success in different areas on the court on my basketball journey throughout the world.”

On-court success runs in the family for Isaac, who’s eldest sister Penina is a core Tall Ferns member who has a successful career primarily playing in the Australian WNBL. Isaac’s mother Bronwen is also a successful basketball coach who coaches in the New Zealand national junior women’s programme currently.

Davidson joins Jayden Bezzant, Denhym Brooke, Leon Henry, Kane Bennett-Keil, Anzac Rissetto, Joshua Leger, Jett Thompson, Christian Martin and Adam Dunstan on the 2022 EnviroNZ Franklin Bulls.

Davidson is excited by the roster he will get to play with this year, saying “I’m looking forward to playing with and for people who I’ve been fans of but have never been able to play with; and players I haven’t played with in a long time.”

The EnviroNZ Franklin Bulls first home game is May 7th vs Southland Sharks.