As New Zealand prepares to take part in its third world basketball championship in the last nine years one man who can take some satisfaction is former Basketball NZ chief executive Hugh Lawrence.
It was Lawrence who lifted New Zealand's opportunities out of the 19th Century and prepared them for the 21st, all in the space of about 18 months.
When he took over the role at BBNZ it was as a minder for 84 separate associations in a country of barely four million.
A national programme was something that you could listen to on the radio.
An international programme was something you could dream about.
But Lawrence wasn't a dreamer. He could see that basketball in New Zealand was going nowhere while its players were not exposed to more regular international competition.
It just so happened that a core of quality players was emerging that demanded greater exposure for their skills.
Lawrence set off for Europe where, after initial assistance from Australian basketball boss Dick Butler, he gained the support of French FIBA representative Bernard Lejade and they cobbled together a programme which resulted in New Zealand reaching the final of the annual Haarlem tournament in the Netherlands having gained a few international scalps along the way.
Lawrence also met with FIBA secretary-general Boris Stankovich which was just as well because at around that time the European countries were starting to believe it was a bit rich that Oceania should have two representatives among the nations competing at the Sydney Olympics in 2000. They were making noises that Europe should be entitled to an extra team.
Long story short, New Zealand took part in the Olympic Games and did not disgrace itself, while it went on to win representation to the world championships in 2002 and it has continued that thread.
But Lawrence is not convinced the effort represents an example of all being well in the basketball corner.
He still wonders if basketball has built on the achievements of 2002 where New Zealand finished fourth, ahead of the United States and had Pero Cameron named in the All-Star tournament five!
"If you celebrate a world championship, you celebrate what it took to get there," he said but he couldn't help wondering whether the fact New Zealand was at its third championship in succession was a sign of a huge step forward for New Zealand's basketball system or a result of the sheer commitment of a talented group of players.
What New Zealand's achievement showed was that if you coach the right way and stick to the core of players you can narrow the gap on opponents.
He would like to see evidence that New Zealand learns from each time the side gets through to major competition.
"I don't sense the changes I had in mind ever got off the ground," he said in relation to New Zealand's infrastructure
It was all about getting administrators and supporters to realise the benefits to be had when everyone was united in putting their shoulder to the wheel and working in a united manner.
Regional differences could be a strength in the game but it could also benefit from a unity of purpose, he said.
While aspects in the administration and support for the game could vary over the years, the characteristics of sports performance never changed and it came down to a lot of hard work by players and