New Zealand Breakers signs Petteri Koponen as head coach

The New Zealand Breakers have signed Finnish basketball legend Petteri Koponen to be the club’s new head coach.

The 36-year-old has signed a two-year contract with the Breakers, which includes a third-year team option.

Koponen takes over from Mody Maor, who surprisingly departed New Zealand in May.

Koponen brings a seasoned and impressive basketball resume to the Breakers. He is set to join the San Antonio Spurs as an assistant coach at the NBA Summer League this month, after building a strong career throughout Europe.

He has coached in the EuroLeague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament for two years, including taking his team to the final in 2022.

Breakers owner Matt Walsh says the club is lucky to have secured the services of one of the best young coaches in the world.

“The head coaching position at the BNZ Breakers is one of the most sought-after jobs in basketball outside of the NBA, and we had amazing interest shown in the role over the last month,” Walsh said.

“My goal was to find the best coach to lead the Breakers, and I am very confident we have found the right person for the job.

“Being the Head Coach of the Breakers comes with a lot of responsibility.

“We ran an exhaustive search that included coaches from all over the world and included former NBA head coaches.

“Petteri was an incredible player who has seamlessly transitioned to coaching and shares my vision of growing the game of basketball in New Zealand.”

As a player, Koponen played six seasons in the EuroLeague, including time with European powerhouses Barcelona and Bayern Munich, and retired with a reputation as an incredible shooter.

Koponen’s accolades include joining the EuroLeague’s elite 90-50-40 club, a rare statistical achievement in which a player shoots 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from the three-point line, and 90 percent from the free-throw line over the course of a regular season.

He won the EuroCup and made the All-EuroCup First Team in 2015, the Bundesliga in 2018, and the Spanish Cup in 2019.

Koponen’s name is synonymous with the Finnish national team, as he represented his country in several FIBA tournaments throughout his career.

He was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers with the 30th overall pick in the 2007 NBA draft, but never played in the Association.

After finishing up with the Spurs, Koponen will arrive in Auckland at the end of July, where he will begin crafting a game plan around an exciting roster that includes the likes of Parker Jackson-Cartwright, Jonah Bolden, Sam Mennenga, Mojave King, Mitch McCarron and more.

New Zealand’s season begins against the Brisbane Bullets on Saturday September 21 as part of HoopsFest in Perth, Western Australia.