"We can control our own destiny": New Breakers coach unpacks philosophy, season goals

An experienced captain is steering the NZ Breakers' ship for the next two years. 

Gordon Herbert coached the German national basketball team to their first ever FIBA World Cup title in 2023, and his teams have won championships across a wide range of leagues. 

Now he's taking over as Breakers coach, replacing Petteri Koponen in the role, although he has remained in charge of, and will continue to coach Canada's national men's team. 

Herbert told Mike Hosking it's been somewhat of a difficult pre-season, as he's been jetting all around the world, from New Zealand to Canada, to Australia, and then back to New Zealand. 

"It's been somewhat of a short preseason with our team, but it is what it is, we gotta move forward." 

The mark he wants to make on the Breakers is one of a team mentality – saying although there is an 'I' in win and individuals are needed, a team mentality is needed first. 

And it's that mentality that will hopefully allow the Breakers to achieve this season's goal: to be a top 4 team in the league. 

"We've had some injury problems in the pre-season, but to a certain extent, we can control our own destiny, the way we practice, the way we prepare."  

Herbert told Hosking he's not sure how long he'll be in this role, but he's taking it one day at a time. 

"I'm trying to get this team to play really good basketball, and we're, you know, not only do we represent the community, and the town, and the city, but we represent the whole country, which is pretty neat." 

"We want to have a really good product on the floor for our country." 

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