Kirk Penny as a naturalised player did wonders! Start there and work your way back breaking them down id say...

Naturalised from where?

How was Kirk a naturalised player?

The key to the Breakers was creating a plan from the top down and sticking to it. At their early low point they decided their main planks were developing young Kiwis and having quality people at the club, from the front office to coaches to players.

The biggest key is the Blackwells, without them none of this could have happened. Then you look at Richard Clarke, Andrej Lemanis, Dean Vickerman, Penney, Bruton, Ronaldson, Boucher, Henare, Vukona, Jackson and onto the next generation with Abercrombie, Webster and Pledger.

They face a big test now though, Fotu and Loe are overseas, Corey Webster is likely to head there and who knows what Tai Webster will do. If they can't keep some of the best young players in the country it will certainly make it harder to maintain their success.

He didn't count as an import I mean. He is a local talent with Worldly talent. So they could get 2 imports as well.

The Breakers Academy.

The following are all products of the Breakers Development Academy headed by Breakers Assistant Coach Judd Flavell.

Current Breakers: Mika Vukona, Alex Pledger, Tom Abercrombie, Corey Webster, Rueban TeRangi, Duane Bailey

College: Tai Webster (Nebraska), Jack Salt (Virginia), Tai Wynyard (Kentucky)

Europe: Rob Loe (Greece), Isaac Fotu (Spain)

Blackwell as a solid, decent owner consistently backing the club. They would've blown the cap a bit during one period to get things up a notch but the club always looking after its players/staff means it gets a good reputation that alternatives won't always have. Then a good practice facility supports that.

I think bringing back Boucher at his wisest helped. Then Vukona, Jackson and Abercrombie have been three contributors who defend - all invaluable in building a good core.

They have been successful but haven't they had some bad seasons as well?

Last season second to last.

Another period they had 2-3 seasons where they had a really bad record only beaten by the mighty Marty Clarke.

Jackson has been a huge part of their championships. Without him they might not have won.

Lots of grocery vouchers!!!

Breakers' records:

2004 - 12-21, 10th of 12
2005 - 9-23, 11/11
2006 - 9-23, 9/11
2007 - 11-22, 10/12
2008 - 16-14, 7/13, 1-1 in playoffs, QF defeat
2009 - 18-12, 3/10, 1-3 in playoffs, SF defeat
2010 - 15-13, 5/8
2011 - 22-6, 1/9, 4-2 in playoffs, Champs
2012 - 21-7, 1/9, 4-2 in playoffs, Champs
2013 - 24-4, 1/8, 4-0 in playoffs, Champs
2014 - 11-17, 7/8
2015 - 18-6 so far this season

A guy called Cedric Jackson has been handy. That's the only real difference from last years flop to this year.
It was a phone call like this i'd imagine.

Vickers to Drey - 'i'm running the same shit whats wrong?'
Drey reply - 'Get the cash to get Ced back, he will mold that group straight back to the top'.

Not rocket science...

Ummm they have 2 imports on top of 5 or so players playing in the national team. Imagine if an Aussie team had half its national team and 2 imports playing in the NBL.

Important to remember they won a title before Cedric too, and last year's struggles were largely to do with a first year coach struggling with culture and implementing some ideas that didn't suit the group.

No doubt they would have won more than 11 games had Cedric been there though!

You can't understate the value of good team culture.

The Breakers, due in part to the Blackwells, Clarke, Vickerman and senior players (who have families of their own) have put in place a very family orientated culture.

Every player is treated the same, whether your Ced or a development player there are expectations and obligations.

Breach these and you'll not only have management to answer to, but other players, your own family, support staff and even fans will hold you accountable and demand better. E.g BJ Anthony DUI and been intoxicated at practice, Websters tweets etc.

They have searched for imports who match this family orientated culture.

In the past, the Breakers got a guy like Carlos Powell - the new age (and sucessful Breakers wouldn't go near him).

I am currently looking into and writing on what a family orientated culture can do for team success.

It is a massive reason IMO why the All Blacks of 2011 - current are one of the greatest sports teams ever.

Obviously Cedric is a great player (probably MVP this season without Childress) and this season's team with is better that last season's without.
BUT other teams have had great imports.
It would be interesting to try to work out who has the best DUO..
Obviously as has been mentioned they have a great core of NZ players, but is that just because NZ players have no imagination, or (as has also been suggested) is it the culture that keeps them at home, and makes a highly sought player like Jackson return.

One thing I've heard as a reason for their success is the fact that they play out of New Zealand and its a tough road trip for anyone going there. While that is true, on the other side of the coin they have to play half of their games in Australia compared to the Aussie teams who (not counting finals) only play 2 games per season in the land of the long white cloud and the rest on 'home' soil. In that line of thinking the Aussie teams should actually have a big advantage.

The Breakers though seem to have handled their travel better than most in the last few years, 2013-14 being the exception.

While they had a very good coach in Andrej Lemanis for a number of years, including their 2011, 2012 and 2013 championships, they have also had some quality players. Kirk Penny, Cedric Jackson, Thomas Abercrombie, Alex Pledger, Mika Vukona, Gary Wilkinson, CJ Bruton etc.

Good support from their home fans hasn't been bad either, as shown by moving most of their games to the larger Vector Arena.

adelaide...are failing right now

Most of those players are in the national team because the Breakers developed them into the the players they are.
Without the Breakers Abercrombie would have most likely retired from basketball after his experiences in the NCAA.

I also agree with Macdub in that the team culture that Lemanis & the Blackwells implemented is also a big reason for the teams success.

"Wildcats they have webster, vukona and abercrombie. Not quite 5"

Anon, they've got Pledger, Abercrombie, Webster and Vukona who are all starter level, then Te Rangi who is a bench player. That's five (plus Ibekwe who's played at Olympics and WCs).

Re: Holden V8's comments about travel

Early Breakers teams struggled with the travelling aspect & time zones and were terrible on the road but Lemanis implemented strategies to combat this that Dean Vickerman probably still uses today.
Bruton & Ronaldson also bought a lot of self belief across the Tasman with them when they joined the franchise.
I remember a CJ interview on TV regarding playing on the road and he pretty much said "the hoops are the same size & height so no excuses". The young guys coming through all bought into this and then the next bunch now knows no different where as the previous generations were clearly rattled/intimidated outside of the NSEC.

Money has certainly been a big part of their success but the fact they've put the effort into developing local talent is commendable & it's good to see them reaping the rewards from that.

Obviously as has been mentioned they have a great core of NZ players, but is that just because NZ players have no imagination

TeRangi has played for the national team and the only big in front of Alex Pledger in the Tall Blacks depth chart is Steve Adams

Anon - NZ haven't played Olympics since 2004. Penney is the only Tall Black from the 2014 World Champs' team to have played Olympics for NZ.

Oceania Champs, Commonwealth Games and World Champs are a better yard stick for Tall Black representation. Te Rangi played 2013 Oceania Champs. There was no basketball in the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

"Oh okay Mystro i've never heard of Rob Loe averaging 10 pts in the Greek League or Isaac Fotu averaging 10 Points in the ACB. Pledger is a great player.."

Fotu will still play behind Vukona in the Tall Blacks & Loe will play behind Pledger until he develops further as Pledger is PROVEN internationally and brings an inside presence where Loe currently is more inclined to hang around the 3 point line.

Fotu is a PF and Loe is also more of a 4 than a 5.

Also where doid Paul or I say TeRangi had played a WC's or Olympics?
Where does it say that playing in one of those Tourney's defines you as a Tall Black more so than an Oceania Championships?

:face palm:

" Obviously as has been mentioned they have a great core of NZ players, but is that just because NZ players have no imagination

What? If they have the opportunity and pay to play in their home country and be near family, what's unimaginative or unique to NZers about that? I don't think anyone can be critical of that choice. Plus the ownership is steady, the facilities good and the front office support some of the best in the league."

No, you missed the point. If a good NZ player wants to play in the ANBL and chooses the Breakers "just because" then that would be "unimaginative." My point is that there must be something more, and obviously there is.
Even Cedric came back, so clearly the loyalty they develop is not restricted to local boys.