Jarrod Kenny

Jarrod Daniel Kenny (born 17 September 1985) is a New Zealand professional basketball player for the Cairns Taipans of the National Basketball League (NBL). The 188 cm point guard attended Westlake Boys High School and has represented the New Zealand Tall Blacks multiple times.[1]

Jarrod Kenny
Kenny in March 2017
No. 6 – Cairns Taipans
PositionPoint guard
LeagueNBL
Personal information
Born (1985-09-17) 17 September 1985
Auckland, New Zealand
NationalityNew Zealand
Listed height188 cm (6 ft 2 in)
Listed weight87 kg (192 lb)
Career information
High schoolWestlake Boys
(Auckland, New Zealand)
Playing career2002–present
Career history
2002–2008Harbour Heat
2009–2015Hawke's Bay Hawks
2014–2015Licher BasketBären
2015–2018Perth Wildcats
2016Nelson Giants
2017–2019Hawke's Bay Hawks
2018–presentCairns Taipans
2020Otago Nuggets
Career highlights and awards
Medals
Representing  New Zealand
Men's Basketball
Commonwealth Games
2018 Gold Coast Team competition

Professional career

New Zealand NBL

From 2002 to 2008, Kenny split time between playing for the Harbour Heat and earning his physiotherapy degree at the Auckland University of Technology.[2]

In December 2008, Kenny signed with the Hawke's Bay Hawks for the 2009 New Zealand NBL season.[2] He became a staple with the Hawks, spending the next seven seasons with the team.[3]

On 29 December 2014, Kenny signed with Licher BasketBären of the German ProB.[4][5] He appeared in 12 games for Licher, averaging 6.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.2 steals per game. He returned to New Zealand in early April for the start of the 2015 NBL season.[6]

On 2 November 2015, Kenny signed with the Nelson Giants for the 2016 season.[7] He joined the Giants on 23 March 2016.[8][9] He appeared in 14 games for the Giants in 2016, averaging 8.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.1 steals per game.[10]

On 20 September 2016, Kenny signed with the Hawke's Bay Hawks for the 2017 season, returning to the franchise after an injury-plagued 2016 season.[11][12] On 1 April 2017, he recorded 22 points and 15 assists in the Hawks' 102–91 loss to the Wellington Saints.[13] With the Hawks in 2017, Kenny averaged career-best numbers with 12.3 points, 4.5 rebounds and 7.5 assists over 15 games.[14]

On 14 November 2017, Kenny re-signed with the Hawks for the 2018 season.[15] He returned to the Hawks for the 2019 season.[16] On 21 April 2019, he recorded 15 assists and 10 rebounds to go with five points in a 105–95 win over the Southern Huskies.[17][18]

In June 2020, Kenny was acquired by the Otago Nuggets for the 2020 season.[19] In his 19th season in the league, he won his first championship.[20]

Perth Wildcats

Kenny spent multiple seasons with the New Zealand Breakers as a practice squad player, but never got the callup to the top group.[21] After impressing during the 2015 FIBA Oceania Championship,[22] Kenny signed with the Perth Wildcats for the 2015–16 NBL season on 1 September 2015.[23] On 6 November 2015, he scored a season-high 12 points in the Wildcats' 85–77 win over the Townsville Crocodiles.[24] Kenny helped the Wildcats win the NBL Championship in March 2016 with a 2–1 grand final series win over the New Zealand Breakers.[25] He appeared in all 34 games for the Wildcats in 2015–16, averaging 4.6 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game, earning the club's Coaches' Award at the end-of-season MVP Ball.[26]

On 11 May 2016, Kenny re-signed with the Wildcats on a three-year deal.[27] On 25 October 2016, Kenny was ruled out for three to five weeks with a groin strain.[28] He returned to action on 17 November 2016 against the Sydney Kings[29] and recorded a career-high five assists.[30] Despite his minutes decreasing in 2016–17, Kenny remained a crucial figure in the rotation; his hard-nosed defensive aptitude, team-first mindset and likening for the big moment have made him a firm favourite of coach Trevor Gleeson.[31] The Wildcats went on to win the NBL Championship in March 2017.[32][33] In 30 games, he averaged 4.1 points, 1.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game.

In January of the 2017–18 season, Kenny began playing in career-best form. With the turn of the new year, Kenny's scoring improved by nearly six points per game, while his percentage from beyond the arc spiked by almost 30 per cent.[34] He recorded season highs in scoring (12 points), assists (five) and rebounds (four) from Round 14 onwards, while also knocking down a career-high four triples against the Sydney Kings on 19 January.[34] He appeared in all 30 games for the Wildcats in 2017–18, averaging 5.2 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game.

On 22 April 2018, the Wildcats parted ways with Kenny after opting not to take the club option on his contract.[35]

Cairns Taipans

On 26 April 2018, Kenny signed a two-year deal with the Cairns Taipans.[36]

On 6 August 2020, Kenny re-signed with the Taipans for the 2020–21 NBL season.[37]

National team career

Kenny began playing for the New Zealand Junior Tall Blacks in 2002 and went on to represent the New Zealand university national team at the 2007 World University Championships in Bangkok. He made his senior team debut in 2009 at the FIBA Oceania Championship,[38] going on to represent the Tall Blacks at the 2011 FIBA Oceania Championship, 2012 FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament, 2013 FIBA Oceania Championship, 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup and 2015 FIBA Oceania Championship.[1] He was ruled out of the Tall Blacks' 2016 Olympic campaign due to injury.[39][40]

Personal life

Kenny is the son of Danny and Liz Kenny. His wife, Ailbhe Madden, is Irish.[41]

References
  1. Jarrod Kenny – 2011 FIBA Oceania Championship
  2. LEAD STORY - BASKETBALL : Kenny has high hopes for new Hawks role
  3. Hawks sign Kenny and Johnson for 2014 season
  4. Licher BasketBären verpflichten Neuseeländer Jarrod Kenny (in German)
  5. The Licher Basket Baeren Get Jarrod Kenny
  6. Basketball: Hawks itching to spread wings against Giants
  7. Tall Blacks point guard Jarrod Kenny joins Nelson Giants for 2016 NBL season
  8. Kenny adds final piece to Nelson Giants' player roster jigsaw
  9. New Giant Kenny hoping for an instant reversal against Taranaki on Saturday
  10. Player statistics for Jarrod Kenny – 2016
  11. Basketball: Kenny and Bartlett sign for Hawks
  12. NBL: Hawks Sign Tall Blacks, Will Win Games Archived 23 September 2016 at the Wayback Machine
  13. Basketball: Wellington Saints hold off Bay Hawks to stay unbeaten in NBL
  14. Player statistics for Jarrod Kenny – 2017
  15. Basketball: Seasoned trio return to bolster Hawks
  16. HAWKS CAPTAIN RETURNS
  17. "Southern Huskies beaten again to end their first National Basketball League weekend". Stuff.co.nz. 21 April 2019. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  18. "Hawks vs Huskies". FIBALiveStats.com. 21 April 2019. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  19. Egan, Brendon (11 June 2020). "Otago Nuggets select Jordan Ngatai first in NBL Showdown draft". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
  20. "NUGGETS STRIKE GOLD IN SAL'S NBL SHOWDOWN". nznbl.basketball. 1 August 2020. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  21. Tall Blacks guard Jarrod Kenny completes Perth Wildcats NBL roster
  22. Hugh Greenwood’s AFL defection has Perth Wildcats eyeing Jarrod Kenny
  23. PERTH WILDCATS SIGN JARROD KENNY, COMPLETING 2015/16 ROSTER
  24. PERTH WILDCATS DEFEAT CROCS AT PERTH ARENA
  25. "PERTH WILDCATS – 2016 NBL CHAMPIONS". Archived from the original on 9 March 2016. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
  26. "CASEY PRATHER NAMED PERTH WILDCATS MVP". Archived from the original on 27 March 2016. Retrieved 23 March 2016.
  27. JARROD KENNY SIGNS ON
  28. "MARTIN, KENNY RULED OUT WITH INJURY". Archived from the original on 25 October 2016. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  29. ENERGISED 'CATS OUTWORK KINGS IN THE JUNGLE
  30. JARROD KENNY EXCELS IN RETURN GAME
  31. Last Kiwi standing Jarrod Kenny warms to his task with peerless Perth Wildcats
  32. COTTON DROPS 45 TO COMPLETE ‘CATS GF SWEEP
  33. "PERTH WILDCATS WIN BACK-TO-BACK NBL CHAMPIONSHIPS". Archived from the original on 5 March 2017. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
  34. Jarrod Kenny in career-high form
  35. Thank you Jarrod Kenny
  36. Cairns confirm Kenny, signs for two years
  37. "Jarrod Kenny Re-Signs with Cairns". NBL.com.au. 6 August 2020. Retrieved 6 August 2020.
  38. Anthony to join Tall Blacks side
  39. KENNY A RELUCTANT WITHDRAWL [sic] FROM TALL BLACKS TOUR
  40. Tall Blacks lose Jarrod Kenny head of their tour giving them last shot at Olympics qualification
  41. Basketball: Duo cut away from cup dream
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