Pieces in place, now for the import race

The New Zealand Breakers are steadily shaping their roster for the NBL26 season, and new president of basketball operations Dillon Boucher is confident in the direction they’re heading.

"We're really happy with the roster we're pulling together and it's certainly starting to find some shape,” Boucher told RNZ.

"When I compare where we're at with other teams in the NBL, I feel like we're right on track and ahead of quite a few teams.”

The Breakers have brought in some key local pieces from other teams in Izayah Le’afa, Reuben Te Rangi and Rob Loe to join a strong returning core from last season.

Now their attention turns to filling the three open import spots.

"We'll spend some time up at the NBA Summer League (next month) up in Vegas to really try and find some some talent up there as well as working really hard behind the scenes to identify the players that we really want to have a closer, deeper look at.”

Parker Jackson-Cartwright is still a top target, but Boucher believes the Breakers’ new vision puts them in a strong position to land elite talent.

"The NBL itself is an attractive league, but New Zealand is an attractive place to be, getting to come down here in a shorter league compared to Europe and compared to some of the Asian leagues as well," he continued.

"We're a shorter league and they can finish the season here and either take a break, or they can then continue and go back to Europe and play the remaining few months in Europe, or they can go to Puerto Rico, or they can go to China, there's these other leagues still going on around the world when ours finishes."

Read the full story here >> Breakers to-do list still includes securing imports

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