AUCKLAND - One of the most admired New Zealanders on the hardwood in the decade that saw the country become a major factor in international basketball was Dillon Boucher.

A combative forward, Boucher played for the Tall Blacks side that went on a surprising run to the Semi-Finals of the 2002 FIBA World Championship in Indianapolis, and he was in the sides that featured at 2004 Athens Olympics and the 2006 FIBA World Championship in Japan.

In their famous 65-63 win over Puerto Rico in the Quarter-Finals of the 2002 FIBA World Championship, Boucher played 22 minutes and had eight rebounds to go with his two points.

After retiring from the national team as a player following the 2007 FIBA Oceania Championship, Boucher continued to play professionally and he also stayed involved with the Tall Blacks as an assistant coach.

His first big event as an assistant to Nenad Vucinic was at the 2008 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

The 38-year-old has now been honored for his services to basketball.

Boucher is to become a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit.

He was named in the Queen's Birthday Honors List.

The recognition means a lot to him.

He received word that he was going in through the post.

"Your heart starts pumping a little bit, you hate to think the worst but I think the automatic reaction is to think that something's wrong," he said of his reaction to seeing the envelope with the mark of the New Zealand government.

"But no, obviously I was pleasantly surprised when I opened it up."

Among his many achievements are nine New Zealand National Basketball League titles.

In his career, he has played for Auckland Stars, Waikato Titans, the New Zealand Breakers, Perth Wildcats, Brisbane Bulletts, Harbour Heat, Auckland Pirates, Wellington Saints and currently, Super City Rangers.

Boucher's aim is to remain involved in basketball, most likely as a coach.

"I get no better joy than seeing someone that I've had an influence on their career come through and do very well in the sport," he said.

Boucher will be hoping that New Zealand can put their best team on the floor at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain when they play in Bilbao.

The Tall Blacks will compete in Group C against the United States, the Dominican Republic, Ukraine, Turkey and Finland.

FIBA