Breakers confirm Dillard for the remainder of the season

The SKYCITY Breakers have made a change to their playing roster with Kevin Dillard introduced at Breakers headquarters today, the American point guard replacing David Stockton for the remainder of the season.

Dillard will waste no time in suiting up for the club, the 27-year-old will feature in the playing roster at the North Shore Events Centre tomorrow (Sunday) in the clash against table topping Adelaide.

With the players and coaches still in the air on their way back from Cairns after last nights game against the Taipans, SKYCITY Breakers General Manager Dillon Boucher spoke for the club in welcoming Dillard to Atlas Place, but also to farewell two players who this week will head home to the States.

"The first thing I want to do is acknowledge two players who have been a part of our organization this season but for various reasons have not been able to give of their best. Ben Woodside and David Stockton will leave us this week, Ben after it has become obvious that he wont return to full fitness this season, and David as he is replaced by Kevin.

"Replacing players is never easy and not something the Breakers do lightly or often. Bens commitment to this team since his injury has been exemplary, it was his decision to stay and rehab here and give a possible return his best shot, he has been a tremendous support to the team during this time.

"Equally the professionalism of David in receiving this news has been first class and reflects the person and player he is. No one likes to be told they wont play out the season, but for various reasons - none of which are through a lack of effort or skill, David has just not been able to give his best and we have made what was a difficult call to bring in a replacement to see out the season.

"We live and breathe our club values, everyone knows that. But everyone also knows that we are a club that loves to win. This decision to bring in Kevin is very much based on doing all we can to help this group get the results they need over the remaining nine games to be there during post-season, to have another shot at adding a fifth championship banner to the gym."

Originally from Chicago and out of Southern Illinois and the University of Dayton (two years at each), Dillard is a well-travelled player, who of late has been picked up by clubs chasing championships, so the move to the Breakers is not completely foreign to him.

"I have played through some short-term contracts, usually with teams chasing championships. I was in France for a month last year and then moved to Greece for the remainder of the season. But when we missed out on the post-season there I was picked up by Antwerp for the play-offs and this year I have been playing in Turkey.

"This kind of came out of the blue but the timing was good. My agent called me up, we were in the middle of negotiations in Turkey and I wanted to go somewhere and fight for a championship, it just so happened I got the call, I did my research on the coaches and players and the tradition of the team and wanted to be a part of it. I want to be a part of some history and do something special."

Dillard is not completely in the dark about the league, ironically thanks in part to the man he may come up against on Sunday in the form of league leading scorer Jerome Randle. He is however a little less knowledgeable about his new country of residence.

"I know a little about the league because of Jerome Randle being from Chicago and Casper Ware (Melbourne United) played for a team I have played for, so I keep up with those guys and know about the league.

"The only thing I know about New Zealand is the weather is good and the beach looks amazing. Coming where I have just come from, trust me, I am going to the beach after training."

Dillard highlighted his enthusiasm for the game and his ability to embrace a pressure situation, such as the Breakers find themselves in with nine games left in the regular season.

"I am a guy that loves the game, I love to win and I fight for everything, with a lot of energy and enthusiasm. I like pressure situations, that brings the best out in me. I am a beast from the beginning of the game but pressure makes me even better."

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