The New Zealand Breakers have had their share of missteps in the last 16 years when importing players to the basketball club, but their latest failed recruit stands out.
Glen Rice Jr and New Zealand Breakers' Photo: Photosport
Glen Rice Jr was part of the Breakers for just two weeks when he was arrested on a charge of injuring with intent to injure following an incident outside an Auckland bar.
The Breakers suspended Rice Jr indefinitely while the court process played out, but he was cleared to play in early December as the club battled injuries.
Then, just two days after making his return, Rice Jr was arrested again for breaching bail conditions.
As a result, the Breakers cut ties with the troubled American shooting guard.
Much has been made of the Breakers' new owners and their approach to player recruitment.
Although Rice is not the only Breakers import to misfire in the last 16 years, he is the first to do in such a high-profile way off the court.
Since American import Mike Chappell claimed all the club's top awards during the Breakers' inaugural season, more than 30 overseas players have come and gone from New Zealand.
Here is a look back, in no particular order, at some of the Breakers' former imports who were winners, and some who were not.
Glen Rice Jr and Chris Obekpa
Both arrived at the club for the 2019/20 season but neither lasted very long.
Rice hit the headlines immediately after arriving, for both his on-court and off-court exploits.
In total he played three games for the club. He was also in the Auckland District Court twice, with a third appearance scheduled for February 2020.
Whereas, Obekpa did not take the court at all during the NBL.
After playing the pre-season NBL Blitz, Obekpa succumbed to a knee injury and the Breakers' director of basketball, Dan Shamir, quickly called on American Scottie Hopson to take over.
Shamir had previous knowledge of both Rice and Hopson from when they were all part of the Israel basketball league.
Hopson had injuries of his own this season but remains with the club.
Cedric Jackson
The American point guard had two stints with the Auckland-based club and won three championship titles.
Cedric Jackson won three titles in four seasons with the Breakers. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Jackson was the 2013 NBL MVP and won two Grand Finals MVP awards before leaving the Breakers for a big money offer in Australia.
Jackson played for two other NBL clubs - Melbourne United and Illawarra Hawks - but did not have the same influence he had at the Breakers.
Gary Wilkinson
Another American to have won a championship with the Breakers, and to have played for the club over two different time periods.
Wilkinson played a lot of minutes and scored a lot of points during his first season with the Breakers in 2010/11.
Gary Wilkinson Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The demonstrative centre was involved in one of the oddities of the game, that could have cost the club a title.
With less than one minute left on the game clock in a tied playoff game against the Perth Wildcats, Wilkinson went to swat away an attempted basket by Perth centre Matt Knight, but instead Wilkinson tipped the ball into his own basket, gifting Perth the win.
But the Breakers would go on to win the next game and the championship.
Wilkinson was a fan favourite and when he copped a $666 fine from the NBL tribunal for "unduly rough play" in a game against the Perth Wildcats in 2011, the club rattled a bucket amongst the fans for contributions towards Big Red's fine.
The club re-signed him for a one-year deal after the championship winning season and the brought him back again a few rounds into the 2013/14 season to try and resurrect the team after a losing start.
Ekene Ibekwe
The American will always be remembered for his title-clinching shot at the North Shore Events Centre in 2015.
The lanky centre hit a buzzer-beating fade-away shot to break the deadlock with the Cairns Taipans and clinch the Breakers' fourth title in five seasons.
Ekene Ibekwe Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Akil Mitchell
The American spent one season with the Breakers and suffered one of the most gruesome injuries to ever occur on a New Zealand basketball court.
Mitchell's left eye was dislodged from its socket during a game against the Cairns Taipans in 2017.
In a collision with Cairns player Nnanna Egwu in the last quarter of the game, Mitchell came off second best.
The injury left his teammates and courtside fans visibly upset.
Mitchell left New Zealand to get specialist treatment on his eye in the United States and then got a call-up to the NBA side the Brooklyn Nets and now plays in Italy.
Shawn Redhage
After 12 seasons and four titles with the Perth Wildcats, Redhage is so revered at the Australian club, it is easy to forget he started his ANBL career with the Breakers.
Redhage was let go by the Breakers after 13 games in the 2004/05 season.
The American power forward might have been one the Breakers let get away.
Shawn Redhage started with the Breakers before settling in Perth. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Marcus Timmins
After Timmins was cut by the Cairns Taipans, the Breakers were quick to pick up the then 33-year-old American as a replacement for Shawn Redhage during the 2004/05 season.
The Cairns coach at the time, Guy Molloy - who is now the Tall Ferns coach - said Timmins was not a team player and he had arrived in Far North Queensland under-prepared.
Timmins had won NBL titles in 1997 with Melbourne and in 2000 with Perth, but did not add much at the Breakers.
Awvee Storey
The former Washington Wizards and Milwaukee Bucks NBA star arrived at the Breakers for 2009/10 season but lasted only nine games.
Three years before he suited up for the Breakers, Storey had been suspended and investigated by police after punching a teammate during a practice session.
In 2006 he was also arrested for disobeying the police in the United States, although the charges were dropped after he made a $US250 donation to charity.
At the time Breakers chief executive Richard Clarke said the club was aware of Storey's past and were happy to bring him to the club.
Kevin Braswell
Braswell started his association with the Breakers as an import player brought in at the end of the 2009/10 season.
American Kevin Braswell went from import player to coach of the Breakers. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
He returned the next season and was a part of the Breakers' first championship.
Braswell went on to start his coaching career in New Zealand with the Wellington Saints in 2016 and moved in the Breakers coaching role last season, but he was removed from the head coach position with time still left on his contract.
Rick Rickert
Played 73 games over three seasons for the Breakers.
When the American signed on for the third season he said despite offers from other clubs, he could not see himself turning out for anyone else in the Australian league.
He averaged double-digits in both point scoring and rebounding.
After 15 years as a professional player around the world, Rickert retired from basketball in 2018.
Carlos Powell
The American small forward joined the Breakers in 2006 and immediately showed he knew his way to the basket.
He lead the league in scoring and rebounding but was not renowned for being a team player.
He picked up the club's MVP award but was not invited back.
The 2016/17 imports
An injury plagued season saw the Breakers bring in five different imports and finish the season outside the playoffs in fifth.
David Stockton did not play many games for the Breakers before he was let go from the club. Photo: Photosport
The rotating roster of imports including Ben Woodside (six games), Paul Carter and David Stockton (10 games) - who is the son of NBA legend John Stockton - failed to leave an impression.
Akil Mitchell and Kevin Dillard, who was the third import guard of the season, were the best of the overseas bunch.
