Why New Zealand loves Koponen

There’s a lot of positive signs coming out of New Zealand to begin the season and a lot of that can be traced back to their new head coach, according to Breakers veteran Tom Abercrombie.

“Whenever I talk to any of the players, they absolutely love him,” Abercrombie said on NBL Now, reflecting on Petteri Koponen’s impact at the club.

“They just love playing for him.”

After a successful international playing career, this is the 36-year-old’s first head coaching role, after a stint as an assistant with the San Antonio Spurs at this year’s NBA Summer League.

The Breakers returned from a whirlwind NBLxNBA Tour last week and split the round, despite nearing the end of an incredibly challenging schedule. They currently sit second on the NBL ladder.

It’s a playing group with many new faces and one that has a lot of fans excited about what they can achieve.

“They (the players) love his style, the way he’s been coaching and running practice ... he runs a different ship to Mody Maor,” Abercrombie continued.

“I think what you see is a bit more freedom ... coach Kop encourages them to just go out and play their game.”

As they continue to figure out their rotations, it’s become evident that the Breakers aren’t afraid to go deep into their bench through the first four games. Currently, 10 of the 12 rostered players are averaging double-figure minutes.

“I think the guys appreciate that kind of confidence that he (Koponen) has in them ... he’s giving everyone opportunities across the board,” Abercrombie added.

“I think he’s done a great job to start.”