NZ Breakers Secure World Cup Winner Sebastian Gleim

The New Zealand Breakers have finalized a major corporate and technical coup ahead of the upcoming Hungry Jack’s NBL27 season, officially appointing FIBA World Cup-winning tactician Sebastian Gleim as the club’s new Lead Assistant Coach.

The strategic signing reunites the 41-year-old German mastermind with newly appointed Breakers Head Coach Gordon Herbert. The pair previously orchestrated Germany’s historic run to a gold medal at the 2023 FIBA World Cup and engineered sustained success at club level with the Frankfurt Skyliners in the German Bundesliga. Gleim returns to Auckland following a brief stint as Managing Director of Basketball Operations for Frankfurt, explicitly bought out of his executive contract to spearhead the Breakers’ high-performance strategy.

Breakers Owner and Chairman Marc Mitchell highlighted the premium nature of the appointment, noting that finalizing the coaching structure is a pivotal phase of the franchise’s overarching commercial plan.

“Securing a coach of Sebastian’s standing as our Lead Assistant is another big piece for our Club,” Mitchell said in a statement. “We are building an elite, world-class coaching staff to lead our talented roster.”

Breakers President of Basketball Operations Dillon Boucher emphasised that the pre-existing intellectual capital between the top two coaches yields an immediate competitive advantage.

“Sebastian knows exactly what it takes to win at the highest level of global basketball, and crucially, he already has an intimate understanding of the New Zealand basketball landscape,” Boucher said. “The innate chemistry and mutual tactical trust that already exists between Gordon Herbert and Sebastian is an invaluable asset. They will lead our hunt for the NBL27 championship.”

Expressing his enthusiasm for the structural project ahead, Gleim reiterated his commitment to the local fans.

“I am incredibly excited to return to New Zealand and join the BNZ Breakers organisation,” Gleim said. “My time in the NZNBL highlighted the passion, grit, and talent that exists within Kiwi basketball, so when the opportunity arose with the Breakers, it felt like a big privilege for me. To reunite with Gordon Herbert is fantastic. We have achieved a lot together and share a belief in establishing a winning culture. We have an immensely competitive roster for Hungry Jack’s NBL27, and I cannot wait to get to Auckland and help bring a championship back to the Breaker Nation.”

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