THE Sydney Kings have sent an ominous warning to the National Basketball League (NBL) ahead of the 2024/25 season, completely dominating the New Zealand Breakers in their first preseason clash over the weekend.

The Kings hosted the Breakers at Qudos Bank Arena on Friday night, giving a first glimpse of how each team was shaping ahead of the upcoming fixture. The landscape of the competition looks set for a shake up after some big roster changes over the past few months.

Sydney was brought back to reality last season, with its streak of claiming back-to-back championships broken after being defeated in the play-in by the Breakers, marking the end of an era. New Zealand made it one step further in the play-in, but was eliminated by the Illawarra Hawks. Now, both teams have a new coach with the Kings snagging legendary leader Brian Goorjian, while the Breakers will follow Petteri Koponen.

Although plenty of intrigue surrounded both sides coming in, it was a one-sided affair as the Kings claimed a whopping 44-point victory.

Sydney Kings (120) def. New Zealand Breakers (76)

The Kings got out to an early lead in the first quarter and never looked back, seemingly far too good for the Breakers, and the latter may find the going tough in season 2024/25 based on how they matched up against one of the competition heavyweights.

Both teams have made hefty changes throughout the off-season, and it was Sydney’s recruits that proved to be the most impactful, particularly Cameron Oliver in the frontcourt. ‘Space Cam’ was one of the most exciting players in the NBL a few years ago, and now returns to the competition after some time overseas and looked dominant in the win over the Breakers.

He posted 17 points and nine rebounds in 18 minutes, and combined tremendously well in the paint with Xavier Cooks (11 points, five rebounds, 12 minutes), with the duo set to make a mighty frontcourt punch that will prove match-winning on several occasions in the upcoming fixtures.

The Kings were nearly at full strength, and the depth of their roster was on full display after recruiting heavily over the off-season. Kouat Noi top-scored with 19 points off the bench, while former college gun Keli Leaupepe had 16 points in an exciting display.

Overall, the Kings shot 63 per cent from the field, and while that will not happen in every match, it demonstrates how many talented offensive options they have and just how difficult it will be to stop them when on song.

For the Breakers, Mojave King was a shining light on a tough night for the team, posting 22 points and five rebounds on 7/14 shooting from the field as he looks to be a promising recruit for the team, while sole returning face Parker Jackson-Cartwright had 15 points of his own.