PJC, Breakers a match made in heaven

Saturday, April 6, 2024

Parker Jackson-Cartwright has recommitted to the Breakers for NBL25, and the MVP candidate says his relationship with the city and people of Auckland were a crucial factor in his decision to return.

There aren’t many more fulfilling sights in the NBL as when an import fully buys into the city and club they’re playing in, and that love and appreciation is returned by the community to the player himself.

There’s no greater modern example of this symbiotic appreciation than the love and respect shared between Bryce Cotton and Perth. Milton Doyle and the JackJumpers share that similar level of relationship, and now it’s fair to say so do Parker Jackson-Cartwright and the New Zealand Breakers.

The re-signing of Jackson-Cartwright to New Zealand was announced on Friday evening, and the diminutive guard will become just the fourth import in the history of the club to represent the Breakers past their initial first season.

There’s no denying ‘PJC’ is a phenomenal player who took the competition by storm in NBL24, but he says the community around both the Breakers and the wider city of Auckland were paramount to his return.

“I love playing for a club with a lot of tradition and history, I just felt at home playing for the Breakers I Think it was a great fit for me as a player and as a person,” Jackson-Cartwright said.

“I love the lifestyle, I love living in Auckland and being in that community. I truly believe I was accepted in every aspect by the Breakers, by the people that work in the front office, everyone in the community, the Breakers’ fans, I just felt very comfortable being myself as a player and as a person.

“I am a creative type of guy and I think that shines not only who I am as a person, but as I play, I’m very creative with how I play. It all ties in together and it feels good to be accepted the way I have been by the Breakers faithful.

“I’m going to come back and spend hundreds of thousands of hours going through the vintage stores in K-Road again, and eating at the great restaurants that they have.”

Head coach Mody Maor has since called Jackson-Cartwright the marquee player he will look to build his new roster around.

Only Dane Pineau remained on contract for NBL25 after the club’s Play-In defeat last season, but the Breakers have since signed Sam Mennenga from Cairns and re-signed Jackson-Cartwright.

Jackson-Cartwright says the trust he has in Maor was crucial in him recommitting this early in the NBL free agency cycle.

“You don’t make a decision like this so soon without having trust in your coach and that’s a big part. Mody is our leader and we got closer as the year went on. I love our honesty within our relationship and it’s very straightforward and very direct and I really appreciate that,” he said.

“I came in and was a player that liked to play fast and with fast tempo, and credit to Mody and the staff they really opened my game in a different way and helped me excel in it.

“That’s beautiful to do and that’s hard to do, but I had trust in the staff and my teammates and they had trust in me, so when all those things are working in your favour you start to see leaps throughout the season.

“I feel for the next one I can be more of a leader coming back and knowing the club now, knowing Mody and what he expects, and I think I can take another step forward in that area and trying to come back hungrier.”

The NBL free agency period officially kicks off on April 15.