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Basketball New Zealand has punched itself in the face.  

Broke its own nose, and is trying to tell us it walked into a door.  

The barely believable antics of not only the week just gone, but the entire season, and if players I’ve spoken to are to be believed, the pre-season, leads me to think that they are the architects of their own humiliation.  

The Indian Panthers were suspended this week after a series of stumbles which eventually lead to them falling over their own feet, leaving themselves prone on the court floor.  

Yes, the Panthers has been a problem child, yes, they’ve failed to deliver on court, yes, they’ve treated their staff both on court and off with disdain bordering on exploitation, yes they’ve dragged a wonderful competition into the swamp with them, but no, the blame should not lie solely at their Air Jordaned feet.  

Claims from the commission chair Tracey Garland that “careful due diligence” was applied before their inclusion in the league are difficult to swallow. I did some retrospective diligence. A quick skim of the internet around the history of the parties involved with the Panthers (yeah, I’m like an antivaxxer – I did my own research) points to clumsy management and financial chaos. More red flags than a wealthy, good looking hit on Tinder. 

Sal's NBL, NZ Basketball, whoever holds ultimate responsibility for this circus needs to stand up and tell us who opened the door and let these 20 clowns jammed into a tiny car in.  

They can finger point and obfuscate all they want. The Indian Panthers management are a fast talking, blame laying excuse factory, but if they weren’t in the league, this wouldn't have happened.  

Fess up BBNZ, this is a monster you let in, own it.