Agent 97 embarks on New Zealand assignment

Jarrad Weeks, aka Agent 97, has taken on a new assignment, signing a two-year deal with the SKYCITY Breakers to form a lightening quick NBL backcourt, with Weeks set to complement fellow point guard Shea Ili.

Melbourne born Weeks has played with Sydney, Illawarra and for the past two seasons the Cairns Taipans in the Hungry Jacks NBL and will become more familiar to New Zealand fans when he suits up for the Southland Sharks in the NZ NBL this winter.

In that time, Weeks has gone beyond the 100-game milestone and at 28 years old, is looking to enjoy his best years wearing SKYCITY Breakers colours.

"The culture at the SKYCITY Breakers is awesome, they have been in the finals over the past ten years and have always been at or near the top. I am coming over to learn how to win a championship which is going to be very valuable, hopefully I can bring something to the table as well and we can get a win in that last game of the season."

Weeks was quickly encouraged to jump the Tasman after conversations with the club.

"I got in touch with Dillon Boucher initially and then I spoke with Kevin Braswell and he laid out what the Breakers are about and the style of play for this season. He builds a platform focused on individuals and sharing his knowledge from the NBL and Europe, which is a very exciting prospect for me. I like the way the Breakers are going to play, it will be a fun, up-tempo style of basketball and I think its going to be an exciting year.

"The club has a winning culture, you can tell from the outside they are a tight knit group, they are solid and know their roles and play to their potential. They have had some great players over the years, but they all know how to play with each other and fit into the system. The main goal is to win championships, but it is also clear the environment allows guys to get better as individuals every year, and I am flattered to be a part of it."

SKYCITY Breakers Head Coach Kevin Braswell cant wait to work with Weeks, saying the prospect of the Ili - Weeks partnership is an exciting one.

"To have both these guys is unbelievable. I have been watching and admiring Jarrad for years, he has always been exciting. He brings tempo to the floor, he is electrifying, and he will complement Shea in what he does. Equally, both are growing and maturing as players and will bounce things off each other and push each other, and that is exciting too.

"When trainings are great, it shows on the court. These two going against each other every day in in training is going to be fun to watch - we might have to start selling tickets!"

Braswell does caution against a one-dimensional approach though, saying both players will need to adjust on the fly.

"You can push the tempo anytime you like, but you have to have smart players to execute within that tempo and make adjustments quickly and intuitively and execute in the half court as well. Both Shea and Jarrad have shown they can do that."

Weeks averaged 8 points, 2 assists and 2 rebounds in 19 minutes per game with Cairns last season, with his strong form seeing him as the preferred starting point guard.

As free agency continues, the following players are now contracted to the SKYCITY Breakers for the 2018/19 season, with more announcements expected in the coming days and weeks.

Alex Pledger, Tom Abercrombie, Shea Ili, Finn Delany, Jarrad Weeks

- This story has been automatically published using a media release from Basketball New Zealand