One of the most anticipated announcements during NBL free agency was today made official, with the SKYCITY Breakers confirming the signing of one of the hottest properties in the NBL, with Tai Wesley returning to the club after a two-year spell in Melbourne.
One of the leagues premier big men, Wesley is back home with his beloved Breaker Nation on a one-year deal, in a move that will have basketball fans on both sides of the Tasman sitting up and taking notice as Kevin Braswell continues to build his new roster.
Braswell knows Wesley well from his time at the Wellington Saints while Wesley knows the club well after his initial two-year stay, during which he helped the club win one of their four championships.
"I am delighted to once again be working with Tai, I dont need to tell anyone about his quality - he is quite simply one of the premier big men in the NBL, the sort of player that every club would love to have on their books. His ability to play in the post and yet stretch the floor with his perimeter shooting makes him a unique quality and adds so much to our offence, this is a big day in our off-season planning."
31-year-old Wesley is also thrilled to be back with Breaker Nation, in the process rekindling his partnership with Braswell from their days at the Saints.
"We are excited to be rejoining the Breakers family, we have only good experiences with them and we felt it was right to come back to the SKYCITY Breakers. After you have a good year and your contract is up you feel like you want to see what your value is, so that is what we did.
"I have a very close relationship with Kevin and we talked throughout the process so when things came in from the Breakers everything felt good. My wife and I enjoyed Melbourne and our daughter was born there, so it will always hold a special place in our hearts, but we just felt this is the best fit for us for this coming year."
Wesley has no doubt he returns for his second stint at the Breakers with more to his already considerable arsenal.
"I come back a better player, with two more years of experience in the same league which is always important. I had two very different years though, the first was a bad year, I didnt get the opportunity to play and show what I can do and the second was the opposite with opportunities and the chance to play well with Coach Deano (Vickerman) and win a championship. So, I come back with some of that experience and look forward to doing good things with the Breakers.
"I know that playing with Kevin previously gives me knowledge of what is to be expected. With the right preparation and a good pre-season, I know this can be the best season I have ever had."
Meanwhile Braswell says the signing makes clear the intentions of the club as they patiently but effectively build an exciting new-look roster.
"The fact that we have secured one of the most sought-after players in NBL free agency says plenty about the Breakers and Tais understanding of who we are and the values we look to live and breathe, on and off court. This speaks to the championship aspirations of both us as a club, and Tai as a player. I am excited about the roster we are building and the style of basketball we are going to put on for the fans watching live in the stadium, or at home on television.
"Tai is another piece of our playing jigsaw for the new season as we reinvigorate our playing roster, he is one of many, but what a piece he is. There is no question the SKYCITY Breakers just got a whole lot better today."
Wesley says it is memories of the club on and off-court that helped lure him and his young family back across the Tasman.
"This was always going to be a family decision, it is wherever we go. I always remember and like about the Breakers is the family environment is always prevalent, it was always a focus in the culture of the club. It was easy for my wife to say we can leave something that we know is good, to go to something else that we also know is really good.
"My experience this time will be different though. It is sad that the Blackwells wont be quite as big a part of it, but equally we are excited about what the new ownership will bring and all of the new things going on in the league. Seeing big signings like Andrew Bogut, that is exciting for me as a player.
Wesley brings to eight the number of players signed to fulltime contracts, leaving four spots open (including imports) and up to three development players.
SKYCITY Breakers on contract: Shea Ili, Jarrad Weeks, Tom Abercrombie, Jordan Ngatai, Finn Delany, Tai Wesley, Majok Majok, Alex Pledger
- This story has been automatically published using a media release from Basketball New Zealand
Breakers confirm Wesley return 'home'
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