American Matt Mooney will complete the NZ Breakers roster for the upcoming Australian NBL season under new coach Petteri Koponen.
The shooting guard helped Texas Tech University to the 2019 NCAA final, where the Red Raiders lost to a Virginia team that featured Kiwi centre Jack Salt.
Undrafted for the NBA, he eventually played four games for Cleveland Cavaliers and another for New York Knicks, before heading to Europe, where he has played in Spain, Germany, Turkey and most recently Italy for Aquila Basket Trento.
His role with the Breakers will be as complement to point guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright, returning from a season that saw him voted to the All-NBL First Team.
"Matt is mentally touch and he brings that competitiveness playing hard defence," said Koponen. "He can play pick-and-roll, he shoots outside and those were things that we were looking for in this position.
"We were looking for someone to play next to Parker. We have to build the right chemistry and identity in the team."
The Breakers roster now consists of imports Mooney, Jackson-Cartwright and centre Freddie Gillespie, along with Aussies Mitch McCarron, Jonah Bolden, Dane Pineau, Sean Bairstow and Grant Anticevich, and Kiwis Mojave King, Sam Mennenga and Max Darling.
Guards Alex McNaught and Kaia Isaac, and forward Carlin Davidson have development contracts, while Koponen also has the option of filling a 'Next Star' spot, last year filled by Lithuanian Mantas Rubštavičius, who was drafted by the Golden State Warriors.
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