Los Angeles Clippers’ Jarrell Brantley holds the ball against the Lakers’ Paris Bassan in an NBA summer league game.
Breakers coach Mody Maor believes he has found his man in the form of power forward Jarrell Brantley for the looming Australian NBL season.
The Breakers on Wednesday unveiled the 26-year-old, 2.01-metre American as their second import for the 2022-23 season which will tip off on October 2 when the Kiwi club visit Melbourne United for their opener.
Brantley will arrive in Auckland next month fresh from starting all five games for the 2-3 Los Angeles Clippers in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas where he averaged 7.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 1.2 blocks a game, while shooting 50% from the floor and 31 from beyond the arc.
Maor said the active defender and physical presence was his No 1 target to replace the Germany-bound Finn Delany as his starting four-man for the new season.
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“Jarrell is exactly the player I was looking for, and our discussions with him started a very long time ago,” said Maor. “His role in summer league and that with the Breakers will be completely different, and I am looking forward to unlocking his potential.”
Brantley was the 50th pick in the 2019 NBA draft and spent two seasons with the Utah Jazz, where he made a total of 41 appearances, including four in the playoffs.
He was named in the All-G League first team in 2020, as well as the All-Rookie lineup.
“His resume reflects his skill, talent and physical capabilities. What most people don’t know is how tough, how competitive, and how good a leader and culture-setter Jarrell is,” added Maor. “He will be taking a dominant leadership role in our group and moulding the team into a tough competitive unit.”
Brantley joins Kiwis Tom Abercrombie, Rob Loe, Sam Timmins, Izayah Le’afa, Tom Vodanovich and Dan Fotu, Aussies Will McDowell-White and Cam Gliddon, fellow import Dererk Pardon and French Next Star Rayan Rupert on the roster. Just one further import remains to be added.
The squad is scheduled to assemble in Auckland to begin pre-season preparations by August 15.
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