title: 2003 New Zealand NBL season
text: # 2003 New Zealand NBL season
  
  The 2003 NBL season was the 22nd season of the National Basketball League. 2003 marked the first year a league-wide MVP award winner was named, allowing imports the opportunity to be recognised; in all previous seasons, only a Kiwi MVP was named, an award given to the best New Zealand player. Australian import David Cooper of the Manawatu Jets was subsequently awarded the first league MVP. 2003 also marked the return of Taranaki after a three-year hiatus. The Wellington Saints won the championship over the Waikato Titans in overtime, as the Saints claimed their fifth league title.
  
  ## Summary
  
  ### Regular season standings
  
  | Pos |
  | - |
  | Pos | Team | W | L |
  | 1 | Waikato Titans | 16 | 2 |
  | 2 | Wellington Saints | 12 | 6 |
  | 3 | Manawatu Jets | 12 | 6 |
  | 4 | Auckland Stars | 12 | 6 |
  | 5 | Nelson Giants | 11 | 7 |
  | 6 | Hawke's Bay Hawks | 8 | 10 |
  | 7 | Otago Nuggets | 7 | 11 |
  | 8 | Taranaki Mountainairs | 5 | 13 |
  | 9 | Canterbury Rams | 4 | 14 |
  | 10 | Harbour Heat | 3 | 15 |
  
  ### Playoff bracket
  
  | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Final | Final |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | 1 | Waikato Titans | 98 | | |
  | 4 | Auckland Stars | 77 | | |
  | 4 | Auckland Stars | 77 | Waikato Titans | 88 |
  | | | | Wellington Saints | 97 |
  | 2 | Wellington Saints | 89 | Wellington Saints | 97 |
  | 3 | Manawatu Jets | 70 | | |
  
  ## Awards
  
  ### Player of the Week
  
  | Round | Player | Team |
  | - | - | - |
  | 1 | Issiah Epps | Otago Nuggets |
  | 2 | Dillon Boucher | Waikato Titans |
  | 2 | Mike Pegues | Canterbury Rams |
  | 3 | Issiah Epps | Otago Nuggets |
  | 4 | Dillon Boucher | Waikato Titans |
  | 5 | Ed Book | Nelson Giants |
  | 5 | Dillon Boucher | Waikato Titans |
  | 6 | Lindsay Tait | Auckland Stars |
  | 7 | John Whorton | Canterbury Rams |
  | 8 | John Whorton | Canterbury Rams |
  | 9 | David Cooper | Manawatu Jets |
  | 10 | Paul Henare | Hawke's Bay Hawks |
  | 11 | Casey Frank | Auckland Stars |
  | 12 | Willie Banks | Taranaki Mountainairs |
  | 13 | John Whorton | Canterbury Rams |
  | 14 | Mark Dickel | Otago Nuggets |
  | 15 | Michael Tompson | Wellington Saints |
  | SF | Iona Enosa | Waikato Titans |
  | F | Ben Knight | Wellington Saints |
  
  ### Statistics leaders
  
  Stats as of the end of the regular season
  
  | Category | Player | Team | Stat |
  | - | - | - | - |
  | Points per game | John Whorton | Canterbury Rams | 29.3 |
  | Rebounds per game | John Whorton | Canterbury Rams | 16.5 |
  | Assists per game | George Le'afa | Wellington Saints | 6.2 |
  | Steals per game | Dillon Boucher | Waikato Titans | 4.5 |
  | Blocks per game | David Cooper | Manawatu Jets | 2.8 |
  
  ### Regular season
  
  * Most Valuable Player: David Cooper (Manawatu Jets)
  * NZ Most Valuable Player: Dillon Boucher (Waikato Titans)
  * Most Outstanding Guard: Lindsay Tait (Auckland Stars)
  * Most Outstanding NZ Guard: Lindsay Tait (Auckland Stars)
  * Most Outstanding Forward: David Cooper (Manawatu Jets)
  * Most Outstanding NZ Forward/Centre: Dillon Boucher (Waikato Titans)
  * Scoring Champion: John Whorton (Canterbury Rams)
  * Rebounding Champion: John Whorton (Canterbury Rams)
  * Assist Champion: George Le'afa (Wellington Saints)
  * Rookie of the Year: Adrian Majstrovich (Hawke's Bay Hawks)
  * Coach of the Year: Mike McHugh (Wellington Saints)
  * All-Star Five:
     * G: Paul Henare (Hawke's Bay Hawks)
     * G: Lindsay Tait (Auckland Stars)
     * F: Dillon Boucher (Waikato Titans)
     * F: Link Abrams (Taranaki Mountainairs)
     * C: David Cooper (Manawatu Jets)
  