By Huw Beynon
The Breakers hit the road for the first time this season on Friday, taking on the win-less Melbourne Tigers across the ditch.
The back-to-back champions will hope to stretch their winning run to three, but an old friend stands in the way: Kevin Braswell.
Braswell was part of the Breakers championship winning team two years ago, he spent a season and a half in New Zealand and during that time forged a special bond with one player in particular.
“He lived with me the whole season, he's like my brother,” says Breakers guard CJ Bruton. “He got hurt while he was here and like family I said don't go back home your rehab will take longer.”
But brothers or not they haven't spoken this week.
“Rio my son has been talking all week about him, saying he wants to talk to him on Skype, but I said not this week. Maybe after the game I'll give him a call when daddy beats him up.”
Braswell may have moved across the Tasman but the Baltimore born baller is still trying to become a Kiwi, and a Tall Black.
“They haven't denied me, I'm hoping I can come and do that in the next couple of months or whatever,” says Braswell.
Helping his cause is Southland Sharks coach and Braswell's former Breakers teammate Paul Henare who has just resigned him.
And while his other former teammates won't be as nice to him come Friday Braswell will never rule out becoming a Breaker again.
“Right now I'm with Melbourne. Melbourne gave me the opportunity to come back and play in the NBL but the Breakers have been family to me,” says Braswell.
“If I got the chance the opportunity to come back and be a Breaker of course I would do it.”
Priority number one though is preventing his old team from getting their first road win of the season.
3 News