World Cup winner Herbert new Breakers Head Coach
- May 20
- 2 min read
The Breakers have confirmed the appointment of FIBA World Cup-winning coach Gordon Herbert as the club’s new Head Coach on a two-year deal.
Herbert will lead the franchise into its next chapter following a historic stint with the German National Team winning the 2023 World Cup. He will continue with his head coach role with the Canadian national team.
LATEST HEADLINES:
Herbert will take the reins of a roster already boasting marquee talent, including Sam Mennenga, Parker Jackson-Cartwright, DJ Vasiljevic and Kouat Noi.
"Gordon is a world-class strategist with a proven track record of winning at the highest possible level," says Dillon Boucher, BNZ Breakers President of Basketball Operations. "His international pedigree and ability to manage elite talent perfectly align with our vision to compete at the highest level in the NBL and represent New Zealand on the world stage."
Herbert’s career is defined by tactical rigour and a clinical ability to build championship-calibre cultures. While his expertise was forged over decades in Europe’s elite circuits, including the EuroLeague, his recent era of international supremacy has reshaped his coaching legacy.
His tenure with Germany is widely regarded as one of the greatest coaching runs in modern FIBA history. He transformed a talented but underachieving squad into a global powerhouse, culminating in an undefeated 8-0 run to claim the 2023 FIBA World Cup Gold.
At the 2024 Olympics in Paris, he guided the team to a top-four finish.
"I am incredibly excited to join the BNZ Breakers," said Herbert. "This is a club with a prestigious history and a clear ambition for the future. We want to play a fast-paced style of basketball that delivers winning results.”
Former head coach coach Petteri Koponen left the franchise in late Februaruy after a difficult season where the team won the Ignite Cup but didn't make the playoffs.
