The NZ Breakers have signed experienced shooting guard Matt Mooney for the 2024-25 Australian National Basketball League (ANBL) season to complete their roster.
Head coach Petteri Koponen was keen to have the former Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks guard on the roster after he just finished a season with Aquila Basket Trento in Italy.
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The American played 16 regular season games and averaged 11.7 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 4.0 assists over 26.5 minutes of court time in Italy's Serie A.
Koponen said Mooney fits the profile of the type of player he wants at the Breakers.
"Matt is mentally tough, and he brings that competitiveness playing hard defence", says Koponen.
"He can play pick-and-roll, he shoots outside, and those were things that we were looking for in this position.”
However, Koponen was particularly excited to see the combination Mooney creates with returning All-ANBL First Team star Parker Jackson-Cartwright.
"We were looking for someone to play next to Parker; we have to build the right chemistry and identity in the team," he says.
“Matt had a great season last year in Terento, and I think he will fit well on the team.”
The 1.88m Chicago native signed his first NBA contract with the Cavaliers in 2020 and made four appearances. He also made an appearance for the Knicks in 2021.
In recent times, Mooney has played across Europe, with stints for Niners Chemnitz in the German Bundesliga and Besiktas, Darussafaka and Samsunspor in Turkey.
Before becoming professional, Mooney played 135 NCAA Division I games for Air Force, South Dakota and Texas Tech over four seasons.
The Breakers roster now comprises Jackson-Cartwright, 2023 LA Lakers draft pick and NZ-born Mojave King, Kiwis Sam Mennenga and Max Darling,
Mitch McCarron, the 2021 ANBL champion, is on the roster, as is former Philadelphia 76er Jonah Bolden, returning big man Dane Pineau, fellow Australians Sean Bairstow and Grant Anticevich and former Toronto Raptor Freddie Gillespie.
The development players are Alex McNaught, Carlin Davison and Kaia Isaac.Isaac, who also played an integral role for the National Basketball League (NBL) champion Canterbury Rams this season, taking the development spot vacated by Darling.
The team assembles on August 12 in Auckland, with the Breakers' NBL25 season tipping off on Saturday, September 21 against the Brisbane Bullets at Hoopsfest in Perth.
The first home game is on Sunday, September 29 against the South East Melbourne Phoenix at Spark Arena.