Great news for long suffering NZB fans putting up with this Matt Walsh led clown show for so long.

But the breakers owners were American. There is nothing that they wouldn't have known everything about.

Do you mean in reference to Walsh and his shenanigans? Sure and supposedly they tried to oust him a couple of years ago but I dare say as a part-owner himself it probably proved too difficult.

Said all non playing staff layed off, that's tough or they on the move?

At least this new ownership group didn't outsource management of the club back to the previous incompetent lot.

Coach Kop and at least one of his assistants are to stay.
Front office staff are to clear out their desks and new people are set to come in and run the club.

Rumours that a couple of high profile former players are to take on an advisory role (Abercrombie & Boucher were mentioned).

The New Zealand companies register showed a company named NZ Breakers Club Limited was established on February 28 and formed by Wellington brothers Leon and Stephen Grice.
The brothers founded Rako Science which was notable for introducing a non-invasive saliva PCR test to New Zealand during the pandemic.

I had high hopes for Walsh and his crew, but they were extremely disappointing. They took a well run franchise and almost ran it into the ground. All the great culture people on and off the court that made the Breakers a force were pushed out: Vukona (number still not retired!?), Henare, Flavell. Ili was cut and Boucher eventually walked. So much institutional knowledge was lost and there's nothing left to show for it. Plenty of over promises and under delivery, it was a circus right up till the end with Freddie out and Fall in.

The only positive during their time is that the Breakers seemed to have good connections for good imports (although that may just have been timing the league’s next star programme providing spotlight mixed with the team’s long term connection with Givony). But I remember early on, when Ili was out to make way for RJ Hampton (good team held back by that kid, went 11-2 after he shut it down and Hopson took control) was Wellington Saints owner Nick Mills going on about the Breakers were doing it all wrong by focusing on imports first, rather than local core first.

Will the new ownership be better? Signs are promising. The Grice brothers are well connected politically and in business, and have had involvement in top-level sport in NZ before. The front office clean out was needed because Walsh surrounded himself with yes (wo)men, Edser included. It’s no surprise Maor ran when he had a chance. Bringing back Kop, with one assistant probably Daniel Sokolovsky is a good idea, for continuity but we don’t need foreign journeymen. There are so many great Australian and Kiwi coaches out there who should be given a chance. I’ll never forget how Fitchett walked and Coronel didn’t last much longer either.

Oh and get rid of Fall. Please.

Aside from the god awful Tacko Fall signing fuck up the absolute worst thing was when they fired Kevin Braswell as coach 1 year into his 3 year deal, refused to pay him out by making the HC position redundant and all NBL graphics and commentators having to refer to Dan Shamir as Director of Basketball Operations for the entirety of his first season as coach.

That gave the NBL a real black eye and made it look bush league. And a dog act to boot.

RIP Kevin

I'm glad to see the end of the Matt Walsh era. Particularly at a time when to truly be a Kiwi team, we needed Kiwi ownership.

While Matt looked to streamline the business - certainly the Blackwells' did a fantastic job, yet breaking even or even a plus was always a problem in the championship runs - the Breakers were at the mercy of some cowboy behaviour, none more epitomised than the Tacko Fall story. Not only the signing, but the dance of being on the NBA run to asking season ticket holders to pay $25 for a photo? Absurd.

There's so much up and coming Kiwi talent that the Breakers need to latch onto. Taine Murray, Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones this year. Ben Gold and Tafara Gapare the next. And there's plenty more down the pipeline, out of academies not associated with the Breakers. Maybe the Breakers don't have the resources to manage development pathways, but they certainly need to manage professional futures better.

There's rumours of a ex-Breaker advisory group. I agree with what Casey Frank and Andrew Mulligan podcasted about this week - the #1 priority has to be bringing Mika Vukona back to lead this club (particularly with Tasmania's new ownership structure). And for goodness sake, hang his jersey in the rafters. #2 is getting Zico Coronel back - he's the NZ basketball savant needed to lead this young core in the long-term.

Not surprised how there is no mention of how much the club was bought for since it doesn't suit the narrative.

$35 million was the number I saw in an article somewhere.

Any chance of Pero Cameron ever returning home? And would Steven Adams ever be a chance to play when he retires from the NBA?
Just when you thought that GK was hopelessly interfering with his team, Walsh would say hold my beer. The Fall signing was terrible. I could understand if he was signed in offseason, but to interfere with a team that was doing well and force out Gillespie is one of the biggest blunders since.....meh, just insert a Sixers mistake here.
And with all the incompetence I still don't know how they manage to get a great next star every year, can't think of when they haven't had a good one.

Steven Adams in the NBL would be elite, 14/12/2/3 for him in just 22 minutes for Houston the other day

There is more of a chance of Adams playing for the NZ Breakers than the NZ National team. In saying that, highly unlikely.

Abercrombie would be my number 1 target for the new ownership group.
Not long retired and highly respected with a great resume.

Kiwi Free Agents heading into 25/26

Waardenburg
Leafa
Vodanovich
H.Harris
T.Webster
Ili
Loe
TeRangi

I would expect Ili to stay in Melbourne and Loe to retire.
Doubt the Breakers would want much to do with Tai Webster.

Leafa was handy the season before last but his efficiency fell off a cliff at Sydney.

TeRangi, Vodanovich & Harris could be handy off the bench at the right price but you would only really want one of these 3 players occupying a spot on the bench. TeRangi gives another ball handler and Vodanovich some strength and mongrel with an outside shot. Harris is pretty undersized but hustles and generally plays smart.

Sam Waardenburg would be the number 1 kiwi free agent target.

$35 million was the number I saw in an article somewhere.

Probably more of a case of Walsh's ownership group had become bored with the investment so moved it on as opposed to some secret deal to remove him from the franchise.

Their money got the team through the COVID years so for that I am grateful.

The outgoing office staff just announced that the pink uniforms are being dropped in favour of more traditional colours for 25/26 and that the NBA tour is off the cards.

"Many articles about the sale refer to how the JJs were sold for $35 million, which is what you're recalling, yet do not disclose the NZ amount."

Don't tell me what I'm recalling thanks.

ESPN Australia & NZ
@ESPNAusNZ
The ownership group of the NZ Breakers has sold the franchise, with local businessmen Leon and Stephen Grice believed to be the new shareholders.

Sources tell ESPN the deal is worth upwards of $35 million, with all non-playing staff laid off in the process.

More to come...

https://x.com/ESPNAusNZ/status/1902571637838328288

Vodanovich is the break glass in case of emergency player replacement.
And can't remember the reason Loe retired from breakers to sign short term with Melbourne and then went back to full time, I think it was something about spending time with family but that's obviously suss.

The only one of those free agents i think would be worthwhile is Harris. I like waardenberg but don't like the combo with mennenga.

There are other kiwis available though. Not sure is Isaac Fotu is free but if so he'd be my preferred target. Or wetzell but I'm pretty sure he's tied up on decent money in Europe

Loe's 3 year deal that was supposedly for good money ended and the talk was NZB weren't prepared to pay him what he wanted anymore so just retired from the NBL and kept playing NZNBL.

Only to come out of 'retirement' a few months later when MU offered him a short-term contract as an injury replacement for JLA. Then signed with them again this season for the whole season.

It all comes across as a bit funny but two things I've heard of Loe is that he keeps his price strong hence the refusal to budge in his second stint with NZB and that the reason Cairns agreed to release him from the second year of his contract with them, in between his two NZB stints, is supposedly his wife hated Cairns and moved back to Auckland after that one year there.

Don't tell me what I'm recalling thanks.

Dillon Boucher has just been named President of Basketball Operations at the BNZ Breakers.
Great news for the club and fans.

Vukona next surely?

Probably more of a case of Walsh's ownership group had become bored with the investment so moved it on as opposed to some secret deal to remove him from the franchise.

NZ would seem like the ideal place for Waardenburg. Especially with the new ownership/direction at the Breakers and the lack of any certainty at Taipans.

What's the problem?

Does Waardenburg know something that I don't?

New New Zealand Breakers' ownership group announced on NBL site.

"Kiwi-American businessman and attorney Marc Mitchell has acquired the club, partnering with local figures Leon Grice (Deputy Chairman), Stephen Grice, and Sean Colgan. Former owners Paul and Liz Blackwell re-join as shareholders, with Paul serving as a Director.

"Owning the Breakers is a dream," Mitchell said.

"We're building a team that champions New Zealand and resonates globally."

As part of the change, New Zealand champion Tom Abercrombie will join the ownership group as a special advisor.

NBL owner and executive chairman Larry Kestelman welcomed the new ownership group, predicting "an exciting new chapter" for the Breakers and New Zealand basketball.

"We're eager to support their growth," he said.

On Saturday, the Breakers announced the appointment of Dillon Boucher as President of Basketball Operations."

Forgot to add a "IMO", so here 'tis:

Everyone is going to benefit from this move.

NZ'ers, you should be celebrating big time.

NZ owned, Blackwells back in some sort of way, Abercrombie and Boucher in there, sounds pretty decent

IMHO this group is shaping to be a mover and shaker. With Blackwells back, some financially sound stakeholder's life looks good for not only Breakers but NZ hoops. Young bucks in the states may start to see home team as value and not continue signing for the Aussie clubs

The new majority owner seems to have a good plan on mind and bringing in the right people.

Going back to a kiwi player base you've still got to make sure you've got the right imports in place. Cedric Jackson set the bar high in that regard.

I also hope they realise the value of the next star program and continue to prioritize that. It's good financially and it's good for young and development players to see how the rising stars train and how professional they are.

Its interesting that Marc Hinton and Olgun Uluc reported the sale of the Breakers to the Grice brothers when in fact, there was someone far wealthier (and more American) financing the whole operation.

Great to see the 'old guard' return - Boucher had reservations about Matt Walsh and decided to leave, the Blackwells haven't been heard from in some time, and even Mitchell didn't have many good things to say about the end of the Matt Walsh era. I do hope the next move is bringing Mika Vukona back as GM.

Of note in the Stuff article (https://www.thepost.co.nz/sport/360631985/meet-new-owner-nz-breakers-why-marc-mitchell-wants-turn-back-clock) is the deterioration of the Breakers academy that was led out by Judd Flavell, who did wonders taking over the Rams academy from Sparky Dickel.

Given the NBA is now going to Australia for preseason, and Kenny Smith/Melo's recent NBL interest likely leading to a Next Stars team, I suspect that there will be less traversing to America as there has been. And that can only be good.

Its interesting that Marc Hinton and Olgun Uluc reported the sale of the Breakers to the Grice brothers when in fact, there was someone far wealthier (and more American) financing the whole operation.

This change in ownership has a great vibe about it.

The majority share holder Marc Mitchell is married to a Kiwi and identifies as a Kiwi American.
Liz & Paul Blackwell the previous owners of the franchise are back along with minority stakeholder and special advisor Tom Abercrombie.
Kiwi business men and brothers Leon and Stephen Grice and their business partner Sean Colgan round out the new ownership group.

These guys steering the ship with Boucher running it points towards great things.

I would love to see a return to the days of old with the Breakers Academy pumping out future Breakers and Tall Blacks on the regular as opposed to guys seeking out roles at other clubs.

Walsh and co had great ideas, but couldn't execute on those and at the same time killed a lot of the Breakers best assets such as the junior Breakers academy. Most of the Kiwis in the NBL have had exposure to that academy and Judd Flavell's coaching at some point.

Vukona has played an invaluable role in the Jackjumpers culture in the background and would be a steal.

Coach Kop is a keeper and would fit in well with their culture, but needs some invested Kiwi coaches who are ready to step in when he inevitably moves on (the Lemanis-Vickerman-Henare succession plan was great).

36ers fans will be unhappy that Matt Walsh has moved on. He was the only thing that reminded them that things could be worse.