Foundation player Luke Martin will be a Southland Shark again in the 2013 New Zealand NBL season.

Martin, who captained the Zero Fees-sponsored team in 2010, will join the Sharks once his commitments with the Sydney Kings in the Australian NBL are finished.

Sharks coach Paul Henare said guard Martin fitted in well with what he wanted to achieve with the team.

"Luke is a great addition to our team. He is a proven performer in the New Zealand NBL and he is an exciting playmaker who makes his teammates better," Henare said.

"He will also take some pressure off Kevin Braswell with his speed and ball handling abilities which will create problems for the opposition.

"I look forward to Luke's arrival when he finished his season in the NBL with the Sydney Kings."

The 31-year-old has won two Australian NBL titles with the Sydney Kings and was in their grand final lineup in 2010.

He played for the Australian national team, the Boomers, in 2004-05.

Martin led the Sharks to the NBL playoffs in 2010 and will be joined in next year's squad by key signings Braswell, Junior Tall Blacks captain and rookie of the season Reuben Te Rangi, another former Shark in Gareth Dawson and former Junior Tall Black Morgan Natanahira.

The Sharks are yet to confirm their second US import, likely to be a high-scoring shooting guard or big man.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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