Basketball: The team's the thing, says star import

(Left to right) Adam Darragh, Brian Wethers, Oscar Forman and Carlos Powell are this season's additions to the Breakers' line-up. Picture / Kenny Rodger

Star import Brian Wethers has dismissed talk of more personal glory with the New Zealand Breakers this season, saying his only goal is to help make their upcoming NBL campaign as successful as possible.

The man who helped the Hunter Pirates to their first championship final two seasons ago - in the process leading all scorers before being crowned the league's MVP - was yesterday full of optimism about his new team. The Breakers begin their programme at the end of next month against expansion team the South Dragons.

Speaking at the Breakers' season launch in Takapuna, the 1.95m swingman said he was more concerned about contributing to a team performance than any individual achievements, and that his main priority was the team's overall success.

"My main hope is to win a championship, to be honest," he said. "Getting to the playoffs is the first step, but I think once we get there anything can develop.

"The scoring lists and MVP awards are not what I'm here for; my goal's to help make this team the best it can be."

Wethers, who yesterday helped model the team's new uniform, is one of four new Breakers imports. He joins former Sydney Razorback backup guard Adam Darragh, former Adelaide 36ers forward Oscar Forman, and power forward Carlos Powell, most recently from Portugal's Sport Lisboa Benfica.

Darragh is already known to Breakers fans after scoring consecutive three-pointers against the New Zealand side last season; Forman has shot 47 and 46 per cent from three point-land in the past two seasons, and Powell - who replaces the NBA-bound Rich Melzer, is known for his work rate at both ends of the court.

Wethers said it was early days, but there was an encouraging atmosphere within the Breakers franchise, and the sheer desire to improve and build on the last three seasons boded well.

"It feels like they're an up and coming group," he said.

"I know they're real eager to win and you don't see that in a lot of places.

"A lotta people like to just settle for where they are, but I think we've got the coaching staff and players to get the job done. If we continue on the path we're on now, I know we're going to make a name for ourselves."

Coach Andrej Lemanis, about to start his second season with the Breakers, said he was looking forward to gauging the impact of the new players, but was just as eager to see the existing squad members kick on.

"I think that another season on, after an initial year together, we're all becoming more familiar with each other, and the players are getting a better grip of what I'm looking for in terms of our offensive and defensive style.

"I could see we needed to make a few changes but didn't see any point in trying to recruit a new team. I always had a goal of keeping the nucleus together, and just tweaking it here and there with some quality additions."

The Breakers play the Townsville Crocodiles, Sydney Kings and West Sydney in pre-season action early next month, and will join their 11 NBL rivals in a two-day tournament at Coffs Harbour on September 8 and 9.

That's where the New Zealanders will get their first glimpse of NBL newcomers the Singapore Slingers, the league's first Asian franchise.