MELBOURNE (The View from Downunder) - Ever since their incredible performance at the 2002 FIBA World Championships, where they finished fourth, the New Zealand Tall Blacks have been highly respected around the basketball world.

But at this FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament, it will be a very different team to the one international basketball fans have come to know. While mainstays Kirk Penney and Pero Cameron - who made the All-World team in 2002 - are still there, names like Sean Marks, Tony Rampton, Mark Dickel, Paul Henare and Phill Jones will not be in Athens.

Jones, who announced his international retirement last month, is a particularly huge loss for Tall Blacks coach Ned Vucinic. The 196cm lefty has averaged almost 15ppg at major international tournaments since making his debut at the 2000 Olympics.

But Vucinic's eyes are firmly on the future, promoting exciting youngsters such as Corey Webster and 213cm Alex Pledger. And one young man who will have a leadership role hoist upon him is 24 year old Craig Bradshaw.

The 208cm Bradshaw was the Kiwis youngest player at the 2006 FIBA World Championships, but after averaging 11 points and 6 rebounds in that tournament, he will be asked to carry much of his team's inside workload in Athens.

Bradshaw is undoubtedly still a work in progress, but he does have all the tools to take on the world's best big men. After a college career at Winthrop University, Bradshaw surprisingly was not taken in the NBA draft, and was snapped up by the Brisbane Bullets in the NBL.

After a slow start to the year, Bradshaw got better and better as the season wore on, averaging 18 points and 5 boards in the playoffs. He also got used to Brisbane's fast paced game plan, which will hold him in good stead as the young Tall blacks will try to catch their opponents off guard with some trademark Oceania run and gun in Athens.

Bradshaw is deceptively strong for his size, has quick back to the basket and face up moves, and when he is on, can destroy a team from the perimeter. Watch out for the Kirk Penney-Bradshaw pick and pop to give defences trouble all tournament long.

On defence, he is an athletic rebounder and good shot blocker, but has a tendency to give away cheap fouls in single cover. But Bradshaw in foul trouble will mean big trouble for New Zealand, so he will have to be disciplined at the defensive end.

While it is a big ask for a 24 year old to single handedly take on the likes of Splitter, Santiago, Dalembert and Nowitzki, Bradshaw will have to do just that if New Zealand are to make the top three and give Oceania two representatives at the Olympics.

Paulo Kennedy