NZ Breakers centre Yanni Wetzell has parlayed his strong Australian NBL performance this season into a lucrative contract with Spanish Euroleague club Baskonia.
While his team languishes at the bottom of the Aussie competition with just five wins from 26 games, Wetzell, 25, has been their most consistent player, leading the Breakers in scoring (17.68 points), rebounding (8.23), blocks (1.00) and field goal percentage (59.6).
His showing has caught the eye of Baskonia, who have missed the Euroleague quarter-finals, finishing ninth, and currently sit seventh in the Spanish Liga ACB with five games remaining in their season.
"The opportunity to play in the EuroLeague has been a goal of mine since I was at school," said Wetzell. "It has just come earlier than I expected.
"I want to thank Matt Walsh and the Breakers for their incredible support, and what I've learnt in my season with the club.
"This opportunity would not have presented itself without the unwavering energy the Breakers coaching staff have put into my game. I am a Breaker for life."
Breakers owner Walsh played a season with Baskonia during his globetrotting career and knows how big this opportunity is for Wetzell.
"Yanni's development this year has been amazing," said Walsh. "This is an amazing opportunity that Yanni has earned and we are excited to watch his career grow."
After attending basketball hotbed Westlake Boys High School, Wetzell took a US college scholarship with Division II St Mary's University, before transferring to Division I Vanderbilt.
His first professional contract was with Southeast Melbourne Phoenix in the Aussie league, but passport complications cost him a stint with Germans Riesen Ludwigsberg in 2020.
The Breakers have two fixtures against Tasmania Jackjumpers (Friday) and Adelaide 36ers (Sunday) remaining in their Aussie NBL campaign, already unable to avoid their worst record ever in the competition.
Their previous worse was 2004/05 and 2005/06 - their second and third seasons in the league - when they won just nine games.
