Le’afa welcomes fresh start as Breakers enter new era

Samoan point guard Izaya Le’afa is not letting his injury set him back ahead of the Breakers’ new National Basketball League (NBL) season.

Le’afa, 29, from the village of Saleimoa, sustained a severe stress fracture in his foot last November while representing the New Zealand Tall Blacks, ruling him out for the majority of last year's NBL competition, where they finished seventh.

This year, however, the Wellington-born player says there is so much to look forward to in his fourth year with the team.

“Still in the process of recovering and getting back, but I think a few more weeks, and will be100 and fully good to go,” Le’afa told PMN News.

Le’afa had tweaked his foot after his initial injury in November but says “everything happens for a reason,” and believes being sidelined to rehabilitate has been a blessing in disguise.

“Definitely having an injury and then… obviously getting re-injured, I had to kind of build again, but I think it’s just little obstacles along the way.

Izaya Le'afa enters his fourth season with the Breakers. Photo/Instagram

“I kind of think it’s just setting myself up for success.”

Le’afa is one of five returning players to the Breakers following a rebrand, alongside American import Parker Jackson-Cartwright, Tall Blacks Sam Mennenga, Reuben Te Rangi and Carlin Davison.

Not only have the Breakers introduced a new identity through uniforms and logos, richly grounded in Aotearoa, but they are also under a fresh coaching staff, including world-class coach and Canadian men’s head coach Gordon Herbert.

Le’afa says while it is still early in the off-season, understanding the chemistry between Herbert and the players has already set the tone for a successful campaign.

Breakers head coach Gordon Herbert. Photo/Joshua Devenie/Photosport

“It’s been good, first few days just kind of learning about each other, and just doing the small things in order to go for that long-term goal, which is to obviously win a championship.

“For now, it’s just more of a team environment and putting each other and your teammates before yourself and learning from there.

“I think that’s what Gordie [Herbert] was talking to us about in the championship team is, you know sacrifices for each other and putting it in a perspective where your teammates come first.”

Like Le’afa, fellow point guard Jackson-Cartwright shared how excited he is to be a part of this year’s team.

"I think this is the most exciting team I've been a part of as a Breaker,” Jackson-Cartwright told RNZ.

"Just heading into a season, everybody seems to be on the right page and even day one, we have good vibes, we have good energy, the culture is moving in the right place.

"We have a rebrand that feels authentic and genuine. We're in black and white, everything's a bit different, we have new faces, so it's definitely exciting."

With their full roster still to be confirmed, the Breakers will open their season against the Illawarra Hawks on Sunday 20 September at Spark Arena, with tip-off at 5pm (NZT).

For more information on the 2026 Breakers NBL season, click here.