IT has been an eventful few seasons for the New Zealand Breakers in the National Basketball League (NBL), and after a big off-season both on and off the court, that trend does not look like stopping anytime soon.

The Breakers could not book a spot in the semi-finals last year, and were eliminated earlier than the season before, so it was a step backwards for the team across the Tasman.

With a few new faces and some returning names filling out the roster this season, there is plenty of intrigue surrounding how the Breakers will perform in the coming months.

New Zealand Breakers

Last time around

The Breakers took a new-look team into the 2023/24 season, and were coming off a remarkable performance the fixture prior, where they went from last place to a Championship Series appearance thanks to the appointment of Mody Maor as coach.

New Zealand could not reach those same heights, struggling with injuries to key players and crashing to the bottom of the ladder at times. However, the Breakers were resilient, and claimed a win in the final round to book a spot in the play-in.

They defeated the Sydney Kings in a gutsy play-in performance, but were ultimately bested by the in-form Illawarra Hawks and eliminated from playoff contention.

The off-season

The biggest change for the Breakers was a changing of the guard in the coaching department, with Maor leaving the team, replaced by Petteri Koponen as head honcho. The former Finnish player had a storied career in Europe, and will now lead the Breakers for the upcoming season.

New Zealand retained some key pieces, and added new faces too, including Freddie Gillespie, who will be the starting centre for the team. He brings experience from Europe and the NBA to the table and will be an excellent rebounder for the team.

The Breakers also added an elite Next Star in Karim Lopez, who should shine playing for New Zealand in the upcoming fixture. Although not draft eligible until 2026, Lopez will want to use the upcoming season to boost his stock, and could be the best prospect New Zealand has ever had.

Projected starters (when healthy)

Parker Jackson-Cartwright
Matt Mooney
Mojave King
Jonah Bolden
Freddie Gillespie

One to watch

The Breakers’ title hopes rest largely in the hands of Jackson-Cartwright, who will again be the star of the show at the point guard position. He was an excellent performer last season, and looked to be departing as it was reported he had accepted a deal overseas.

However, he returned to New Zealand and has been in fine form throughout the preseason, posting similar numbers to his last campaign. He will be the number one option for the team offensively, and will need to post 20 points per game to lift his team into championship contention.