Basketball: Vukona signs on for another three years

Mika Vukona will be at the Breakers for another three years. Photo / Getty Images

Mika Vukona has signed a new three-year deal with the Breakers as the ANBL champions piece together their roster for next season.

The 32-year-old forward joins point guard Cedric Jackson, Reuben Te Rangi, Duane Bailey and Alex Pledger on next year's roster and brings considerable experience and leadership - he's club captain and played in all four of the Breakers' championship-winning seasons.

"Mika is both the inspirational leader and captain of the Breakers," coach Dean Vickerman said. "Re-signing him for the next three years gives the club the best opportunity to have continued success.

"Mika lives the team's trademarks and club values every day. The quality of person and the leader that he is assists our club and team culture immensely. Mika is the glue in all of that to hold us strong and ensure that we continue to progress."

Vukona is presently in Rome, where he is on a short-term contract with Acea Virtus Roma as they chase a place in the post-season of the Italian league. He was quick to dispel any talk of this being his final contract.

"This is not my last contract or my last deal," he said from Rome. "I have so much more I want to achieve and do in the game. This is just the next contract. Every year will be 100 per cent, competing and improving every year. That is always my goal.

"I am blessed that the club wants me back to carry on from what we have built at this organsiation. I have a lot of things I want to achieve in the next three years to take my game to another level, adding more to it rather than being seen as one-dimensional.

"Being here in Italy has given me a new lease of life in basketball. I have never been stagnant in regards to my desire to play but this has added so many more layers and made me realise I can do more so much more and I look forward to doing that in the next three years at the Breakers."

Vukona was a Breakers development player who then went overseas to play for both the Souths Dragons (2008-09) and Gold Coast Blaze (2009-10) before returning to Auckland and helping the Breakers win four championships.

Breakers chief executive Richard Clarke said Vukona's signature was a big part of their recruitment plans and that they weren't far off making more announcements on next season's roster.

"We are talking to all of our roster from last season and will be in a position over the next few weeks to make further announcements," Clarke said.