Golden State Warrior Joins Breakers on Eve of NBA Pre-Season Game in Portland

The BNZ Breakers have signed an NBA player who appeared 62 times for the Golden State Warriors last season and will make his debut for the kiwis against the Trailblazers in Portland tomorrow.
 
25-year-old Forward Anthony Lamb replaces import Justinian Jessup as an Injury Replacement Player after scans revealed a stress fracture in his hip following the NBL game against the Brisbane Bullets last Thursday.
 
Lamb has previously played for the Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs with his last NBA appearance for the Warriors against the LA Lakers in Game Six of the Western Conference semi-finals this year.
 
Over the course of the regular season last year, nine-time NBA Champion and Warriors' Head Coach, Steve Kerr got valuable game time out of Lamb as he averaged 19.3 minutes scoring 6.7 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.6 assists.
 
“Anthony is a extremely versatile and intelligent basketball player and I’m looking forward to incorporating his skillset into our system,” says Breakers' Head Coach Mody Maor.
 
“In addition I’m extremely proud of the Breakers’ ownership group and front office for how fast and aggressive we were able to move in a tough situation.”
 
Chief Executive Lisa Edser says the process of recruiting players is complex and in the case of Lamb, he arrives at the Breakers well on the way to writing a new chapter in his career.
 
“We have signed a player who the Golden State Warriors conducted background on checks last year, well before we offered him an opportunity at the Breakers over the weekend,” she says.
 
“The Warriors have a proud history being the most successful NBA franchise over the last decade and we would not have signed him if they had any doubts, or if the NBA had advised against it.”
 
Lamb’s arrival coincides with a busy October for the Breakers with the pre-season NBA game against the Trail Blazers in Portland followed by a trip to Salt Lake City to play the Utah Jazz.
 
The club has split its opening two league games and will play in the NBL again next Sunday away from home against the Dean Vickermann coached Melbourne United.
 
Vickermann was involved in all four championships with the Breakers, including coaching the club to the 2015 title.
 
The Breakers’ next home game at the end of the month is against another club coached by a Breakers’ icon.
 
They play the CJ Bruton coached Adelaide 36ers on Thursday October 26 at Spark Arena where Lamb will make his first appearance in front of basketball fans in New Zealand. 
 
Bruton’s retired number 23 hangs in the rafters of Spark Arena after playing 179 games for the club and winning three championships.