Recruit excited to play with 'two of NBL's best players'

Fresh off inking a one-year deal with the New Zealand Breakers, Dejan Vasiljevic has explained how excited he is for the upcoming Hungry Jack’s NBL27 Season.

The two-time champion joins a Breakers organisation that has a rich history of success, having won four titles and the first-ever Ignite Cup last season.

“It [the move] is just exciting,” Vasiljevic said on NBL Now.

“Obviously, they've had a rich culture, and obviously Dillon Boucher [current Breakers President of Basketball Operations] has been part of that.

“I've spoken to a lot of different players [around the Breakers]. Daryl Corletto, whom I'm actually catching up with later on in the week, reached out and wants to meet.

“The number of past and present players that have said, ‘whatever you need, we'll take care of you’.

“Auckland's a great place and I'm excited because I feel like it's going to be like another Adelaide situation where I'll get to connect with not only just the community, other networks outside of the basketball world and obviously play my game at a top-tier level, which I think I can do.”

As he alludes to, Vasiljevic believes he can be a benefit to the Breakers organisation, but also its stars, including Parker Jackson-Cartwright and Sam Mennenga.

“I’ve been talking with PJC about how he likes to get in the paint and pass it out to shooters. [In the same vein], I can make space for him to drive,” Vasiljevic said.

“Then obviously Sam Mennenga, he can roll, he can dunk, he can do everything. Having a mobile big like that is exciting.

“I read an interesting stat that they [Breakers] were dead last in three-point percentage and shots taken from the three.

“I can space the floor a bit more for both of them to go to work, while also bringing my leadership, which is something they’ve missed a little bit the past two seasons.

“I was saying to Dillon [Boucher], New Zealand can always be a top three or four team in this League, as long as they stay healthy, which wasn’t the case the past two years.

“I'm excited to play with two of probably the best players in the league, and for what the future holds for us.

“I can’t wait to get over there and wear the New Zealand Breakers colours and hopefully represent them to the greatest standard possible.”

This sudden move to the Breakers, after three seasons with the 36ers, comes after Adelaide decided to part ways with the Australian Boomer and release him from the final year of his contract.

“I didn't have a say in it all, as it came as a surprise to me, but it’s all part of the business of sport,” he said.

“They wanted to go in a different direction, and we parted ways, but I was [proactive] on the open market to see what teams would be interested.

“I was fortunate enough to sign a deal with the Breakers, after some really positive chats with Dillon about their plans for both the team and me.

“Honestly, I feel it’s similar to Adelaide, where I’ve been brought in to change the culture.

“This is a fresh start for me in New Zealand, and [at the end of the day] I want to be known as a winner. I don't play for the individual accolades, rather trying to win more championships than anything else, which is my motivation.”

Vasiljevic joins a core at the Breakers which features Jackson-Cartwright, Mennenga, Reuben Te Rangi and Izayah Le’Afa.