Penney Signs Three Year Deal With Breakers

Bonds forged over a decade have played a key part in Kirk Penney's return to the Breakers.

He's rejoining the Australian basketball league club after last playing for the Breakers in 2011, when he helped guide the club to its their inaugural championship.

Long-time Tall Blacks team-mates Dillon Boucher and Paul Henare were also part of that team and are now the Breakers' general manager and head coach respectively.

Penney said their involvement was one significant factor.

"It's been a unique process to go through with them. I'm so happy for the role that they've been given and to play for them and be apart of the group is something to be excited about for sure.

"There's just a lot of positives. Being back in Auckland, being with this great group that have been so successful and the core of the team that's been retained has been outstanding."

Penney has signed a three year deal with the Breakers.

The veteran returns after a standout season with the Hawks, where he finished as one of the league's leading scorers, averaging more than 20 points a game.

Penney said he's happy to be back in a championship winning environment.

"And hopefully we can come together with the Breakers and do the same thing. At this point in the career you just want to have a lot of fun enjoy what you do."

Breakers coach Paul Henare said they've had long discussions about what Penney can still offer at 35-years-of-age and beyond.

"We want to give him that freedom to be able to comfortably close out his career in a Sky City Breakers uniform. We'll evaluate year after year in terms of how he's going but from what we saw last year, he still has plenty to offer."

Henare said whether Penney plays for the Tall Blacks this year is another conversation he'll have done the track.

Penney's signature adds Tom Abercrombie, Mika Vukona, Corey Webster and Alex Pledger on the Breakers' roster for the upcoming season.

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