Tom Abercrombie: By those who know him best

When New Zealand captain Tom Abercrombie hits the floor for the first time in NBL24, he'll become the first New Zealand Breaker to play 400 times for the club, and just the third active NBL player behind Perth's Jesse Wagstaff and Melbourne's Chris Goulding to pass the milestone.

For those old enough to remember the Breakers' heyday of the early 2010s, Abercrombie is the New Zealand Breakers. Talents like Cedric Jackson, Kirk Penney, Dillon Boucher, Paul Henare and CJ Bruton have all put their name in lights while wearing Breakers colours, but Abercrombie has been a constant for the side through the ups and downs the club has experienced over the past decade-and-a-half.

He's a player that's typcially shunned the limelight, but both the Breakers organisation and the NBL as a whole will be celebrated this incredible milestone for this exceptional servant of the game on Saturday night.

Abercrombie's current and former teammates have been discussing their captain fantastic in the lead-up to New Zealand's season opener against Cairns.

Mika Vukona
Former teammate, five-time NBL champion
via Breakers Media

"Tom Abercrombie is the Breakers, he’ll always be the Breakers. He’s a guy that’s come from the academy and gone through the experiences of winning a championship, and through the build. For me, I’m really proud to see somebody like that achieve this. It’s massive milestone.

"As a player the more you play, the wiser you become. It’s how he’s survived and how he’s become better for it.

"In my mind he should go down as one of the best that’s ever played for the team."

Tom Abercrombie and Mika Vukona in 2017.

Mody Maor
Breakers head coach
via Breakers Media

"I will keep signing Tom Abercrombie until he can’t walk any more. The things Tom brings to a team, to a club, to a locker toom and to the floor are exceptional. From positional size to athleticism to shooting to IQ to leadership.

"I dread the day Tom doesn’t wear a Breakers uniform."

Tom Abercrombie and Mody Maor in 2023.

Finn Delany
Former Tall Blacks and current Breakers teammate
via Stuff.co.nz

"No one has contributed more to the Breakers. What he’s given and sacrificed is amazing. I don’t know of any players around the world who have played the amount of games he has for a club. I just hope he gets the recognition he deserves, not only on Saturday but throughout the year. He’s a great leader, teammate, and person to work with."

Finn Delany and Tom Abercrombie in 2019

Cam Gliddon
Current teammate

"I’ve been in the league for a while now – not as long as Tom – but we’ve had some great battles over the years. Mainly when I was in Cairns and we were trying to reach the peak that New Zealand Breakers squad was at with their three-peat. I always knew coming over to New Zealand back then it was going to be a tough game, and I feel like it got the best out of me. Coming and joining the team I didn’t know Tom very well personally, but he’s such a legend, such a leader, still so valuable on the court – I think last year he had two game-winning steals that got us second place. The way he leads by example and his words and actions is high level, I have a lot of respect for the man."

Tom Abercrombie defends Cam Gliddon in 2016.

Rob Loe
Former teammate

"He’s one of the greats. He’s one of 12 or 13 players who has played 100 games for the Tall Blacks, and his longevity and dedication to the game his huge. Kids look up to him, and that’s something special.

"He’s one of the best pros out there. He’s incredibly gifted athletically but he puts the work in every day and he deserves all the success he’s given. He’s always been able to jump pretty high, he shoots the ball pretty well, he’s just a great teammate. It’s a team sport and having great teammates is something you want on a championship team and he’s won quite a few – he’s just a great teammate and a great person.

"You’ve got to put him near the top, slightly below myself. No, he has to be be near the top with Pauly (Henare), Pero (Cameron), Dillon (Boucher), all the guys. He’s done his thing on the world stage for such a long time and he’s done a great job in this league."

Tom Abercrombie and Rob Loe in 2018.

Shea Ili
Former teammate, two-time NBL champion

"He’s the pinnacle of New Zealand basketball. He’s the face of it, the leadership he brings to a team, the desire he has for the game, how he goes about his business as a pro who’s been playing for so long at a high level, for him to play his 400^th game comes down to how he is as a pro. He’s the all-time leader you want on a team and for him to still be playing at this level goes to show how valuable he is as a person and a player."

Tom Abercrombie defends Shea Ili in 2023

Corey Webster
Former teammate, three-time NBL champion

"Tom’s a legend of New Zealand basketball. We grew up together playing in juniors, we must have been 10 years old when we started playing together, we’ve been side by side for our whole careers up until I moved away from the Breakers. He’s just a great teammate, a great person, a great family man, he’s had an amazing career and he’s someone that kids in New Zealand can look up to and aspire to. I’m proud of him and he’s still going.

"He's right up there, he’s had a long career – I don’t know how many years he’s been playing – he’s been to World Champs’ and represented his country, he’s won championships in this league, he’s won championships in the New Zealand league and played all over the world, so he’s right up there in the ranks."

(L-R) Corey Webster, Tom Abercrombie, Tai Wesley and Shea Ili in 2018

Casey Frank
Commentator, former Breaker
via SENZ

"It’s so impressive. I don’t associate anyone with the Breakers more than him – he is Mr Breaker to me. I still remember his first road trip with the Breakers was to China a lifetime ago. I remember because my roommate at the time – Aaron Olson – was his roommate on the road. He was in high school and wasn’t on the basketball radar. I asked what Tom was like and Aaron was like “he can jump”. That’s always been his MO, and 400 games is a testament not only to what he meant to the club, but what the club means to him. I believe he was in the house for that first game of the Breakers ever. He was there for game one as a fan and now he’s there for game 400 as a player, there’s no finer example of what you want a club man to be. He gives so much to the game."

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Tom Abercrombie
via Breakers Media

"I get goosebumps talking about breaking Mika’s record, I think that was a really special one. It was an incredible achievement and something I was really humbled and proud of to take. To be able to build on that now and come up to 400 it makes me feel a bit old.

"I can still remember my first game, as clear as anything. I can still remember my first points, so to tick that 400 off will be a special one. I think anyone who knows me knows I’m not one for the limelight. That game being our first game [of the season] there’s going to be a lot of excitement and adrenaline going on anyway and I think that’s a good thing. If I can help contribute to us getting a win in that first game that will mean for to me than anything.

"There’s unfinished business from last year. Would I have retired if we had won? Maybe, I don’t know. We didn’t so here I am."

Tom Abercrombie is presented with the Larry Sengstock Medal as the 2011 NBL Grand Final MVP.

Career Summary
Four-time NBL champion (2011, 2012, 2013, 2015)
Larry Sengstock Medal winner (2011)
All-NBL First Team (2012)
All-NBL Third Team (2013)
Commonwealth Games bronze medal (2018)
NBL 50/40/90 club (2020)