Manuka Doctor All Star Celeb Slam to Become Annual Event after raising $656,700 for Starship

The Manuka Doctor All Star Celeb Slam basketball event, organised by the Sky Sport Breakers, has raised the grand total $656,700 for the Starship Foundation.
 
The first of its kind in New Zealand game featured sporting and media personalities, playing alongside Breakers stars in mixed teams captained by Tom Abercrombie and Finn Delany.

Abercrombie’s team won 82-76 with ACT Leader David Seymour the unlikely hero, sinking the winning bucket in-front of 6,254 fans at Spark Arena.
 
Kiwi company Manuka Doctor donated $406,700 on the night to fund a complete paediatric intensive care room at Starship Children's Hospital, including life-saving equipment such as a ventilator, patient monitor, and all essential equipment to address the needs of children with complex and often critical illnesses and injuries.

An additional $250,000 raised on game night will be put towards the funding of a second intensive care unit.

“Before COVID we could never have considered staging a celebrity basketball game this year. To do so, and in turn raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for Starship, is just incredible.” said Breakers owner Matt Walsh.

“I have enormous gratitude to Manuka Doctor who believed in us, and the additional support from Giltrap Skoda & Nissan, Barfoot & Thompson, Sky Sport, Mai FM, Burger King, Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED) and Qoin.

“It goes to prove that despite tough times, New Zealanders can still open their wallets and hearts, supporting Starship who offer a life-line for New Zealand kids in need."
 
The inaugural event’s overwhelming success has seen major sponsor Manuka Doctor commit to supporting two more celebrity basketball games at Spark Arena in 2021 and 2022.
 
The New Zealand owned and operated Manuka Doctor is also lending its considerable support to the Breakers for the club’s upcoming season in Australia with a major sponsorship deal that will see the Manuka Doctor logo appearing on the front of the club’s jersey for NBL21.
 
"The team's wellbeing will be boosted daily with Manuka Doctor's Manuka honey in their morning smoothies.

"Manuka Doctor has supplied honey for all the team, coaches and their families.

"It's great to have the sweet taste of New Zealand reminding them of the fans back home, while everyone is based in Melbourne for the foreseeable future," said Walsh.

Their season tips off January 15 against Melbourne United, a side that features former star Scotty Hopson.

Australian critics are already predicting the Breakers will reach the championship finals following shrewd recruitment in the off-season.

Former Atlanta Hawk and two-time NBL All-Star Lamar Patterson, and standout Tall Blacks Point Guard Tai Webster have signed with the Breakers.
 
Australians are also concerned because Shamir has retained the core of last season’s side that went on an incredible 10-4 run, and was statistically the best team in the league in the second half of last season.