Hannah Matehaere and Jack Andrew spent a week learning off NBA star Steven Adams late last month.
The duo were among 48 high school players who attended the Steven Adams invitational camp and game.
They spent four days in Auckland training, before flying to Christchurch to play showcase games - one each for boys and girls - as part of the NBL final four.
Along the way, they had access to some of the country's top coaches, while being decked out in a heap of exclusive kit.
That consisted of T-shirts, a hoody, shoes, scuffs, a warm-up top and training gear.
Adams was always hanging around as well, the players even helping him celebrate his birthday.
"He was always in and around our trainings, helping out and giving us some tips," Matehaere (16) said.
"Before our game he gave us a little pep talk and we sang him happy birthday quite a few times."
His message had been a reasonably simple one too.
"Just remembering why you play basketball and going out there and executing.
"If something goes wrong, moving on to the next play and doing your job.
"He was a pretty chill and humble guy; it was pretty cool to meet him."
Matehaere, a year 12 pupil at Otago Girls' High School, said she learned plenty of new things.
After testing on the first day of the camp, the players had gone through defensive drills and looked at offensive concepts such as spacing, dribble drive actions and using screens.
The game itself had been intense and, while everyone was supportive of each other, no-one had wanted to lose.
She felt it was faster than a Women's Basketball Championship game - in which she plays for the Otago Gold Rush - with more transition than running plays.
It will all leave her in good stead for next week when she leaves with the New Zealand under-17 team for New Caledonia.
There she will get to play against Oceania's best, including a very strong Australian team.
Further down the track she hopes to move to the United States to play college basketball.
The Otago Daily Times was unable to make contact with Andrew. A St Kevin's College pupil, the 17-year-old centre has impressed at both school and representative level.
He was key in the North Otago team that finished 12th at the under-19 national championships this year. That placed it ahead of teams such as Hutt Valley and Waitakere.
