Could you tell us a little bit about that as well?

Yeah, for 30 years, coaches told me, I told players, there's no INT.

And then about five, six years ago, I was working with the Canadian national team and Peter Jensen, the sports psychologist there, said, Gordy, there is INT.

We need the individual talents, but we need to create the team mentality first.

And then he went a little bit farther.

He says, for us to be a championship team, we need elite individuals, but still we need to create the team mentality first.

And for me, this is one of our biggest jobs as coaches nowadays, is taking a bunch of individuals from adverse backgrounds and creating a team mentality out of this.

How has that worked as you have led some of these great representative teams?

What have you told the players? How have you introduced yourself and what have you said?

No, we've just, um ...

I thought Se- Sebastian Gleim, the lead assistant, did an outstanding job when I was gone, and, but also our tall block players were gone too.

Not only myself.

So, but, you know, a lot of teams are, are dealing with that same situation with the FIBA window.

So this is, um, something we have to deal with in today's world, and we just gotta move forward.

Uh, I thought the players have been very professional.

What was your knowledge coming into this of the NBL in general and its quality as a competition?

What have you told the players? How have you introduced yourself and what have you said?

No, we've just, um...

I thought Se- Sebastian Gleim, the lead assistant, did an outstanding job when I was gone and...

But also our Tall Black players were gone too, not only myself.

So, but, you know, a lot of teams are, are dealing with that same situation with the FIBA window, so this is, um, something we have to deal with in today's world and we've just gotta move forward.

Uh, I thought the players have been very professional.

Their, their, um, their work ethic has been outstanding.

What was your knowledge coming into this of the NBL in general and its quality as a competition?

Do you apply your same philosophy to all pre-seasons? Is it tailor-made to the team coming up? What, what do you look at?

No, basically, Darcy, I got my philosophy, but I, you know, we need to adjust it to our players.

And, um, to a certain extent I work on three things when I start with pre-season.

Uh, offensive concepts.

We teach concepts before we teach plays.

We don't wanna play robotic basketball.

Number two, uh, one-on-one defense.

You got anything else you need to add to that mix, do you think, Gordie?

But what sort of style will Gordon Herbert be bringing to the Breakers to ensure that they're in good stead? What is your style?

My philosophy is this, but you have to adjust your philosophy to your players.

So it's interesting.

I mean, we're going to have a coaching summit this weekend, go through things, and then we'll kind of figure out how we're going to play depending on what kind of players we have.

My philosophy is we teach offensive concepts before we teach plays.

We don't want to play robotic basketball.

We want to play up-tempo.

What does success look like for you and feel like for you, Gordie? I know chasing an NBL title would be on the cards, but is there anything else in particular that you'll be looking at that will probably gauge where success is?

But what sort of style will, will Gordon Herbert be bringing to the Breakers to ensure that they're in good stead? What is your style?

My philosophy is this, but you have to adjust your philosophy to your players.

So it, it's interesting.

I mean, we're gonna have a coaching summit this weekend, go through things, and then we'll kind of figure out h- you know, how we're gonna play d- depending on what kind of players we have.

My philosophy is, you know, we teach offensive concepts before we teach plays.

We don't wanna play robotic basketball.

We wanna play up-tempo.

What, what does success look like for you a- and feel like for you, Gordie? I know chasing a n- a NBL title would be o- on the cards, but is there anything else in particular that you'll be looking at for, that will probably gauge where success is?

What did the Breakers say to you, uh, that made you think that they are the right organization?

organization?You know, I had, I had a lot of talks with Dylan, and, uh, I had a lot of talks with Basketball Canada.

And, um, for me it was just about getting everything aligned.

Um, you know, I had some offers in Europe, but they really didn't fit with the Basketball Canada.

And it, for me it was about, about two, two situations and being 100% committed to each one with the timeframe.

And, you know, if I'm gonna do something, I'm gonna do it 100% and be committed, or I'm not gonna do it.

And I just felt with these two combined together, it was a perfect match.

How does that work? How does that balance work, Gordon, between the two organizations? Obviously, the Breakers have got no issues, and, and, uh, Basketball Canada feel the same way, but how do you balance those two roles as far as your time goes?

What did the Breakers say to you, uh, that made you think that they are the right organization?

You know, I had, I had a lot of talks with Dillon, and, uh, I had a lot of talks with Basketball Canada.

And, um, for me it was just about getting everything aligned.

Um, you know, I had some offers in Europe, but they really didn't fit with the Basketball Canada.

And it, for me it was about, about two, two situations and being 100% committed to each one with the timeframe.

And, you know, if I'm gonna do something, I'm gonna do it 100% and be committed, or I'm not gonna do it.

And I just felt with these two combined together, it was a perfect match.

But how do you balance those two roles as far as your time goes?

First of all, obvious question is why are you coming to New Zealand?

[laughs] I've always been intrigued by, um, the league down there, and obviously, uh, I had really good talks with Mark Mitchell and Dylan Butcher, and I really liked the vision they had and the commitment they had to really put a, a really good team on the floor.

And the second thing, it, it aligned with my job with Basketball Canada very good.

I had some options here in Europe, um, but this, this aligned much better with Canada and, um, you know, the Breakers really, Dylan really respected my job with Canada and, and, and really made it work.

What is it about the league that intrigued you?

No, I watched the finals and I've be- I've been intrigued by the league for many years, and I've been very interested in coming down and coaching.

Um, there...

I, I, I think the league is one of the better leagues around, very underrated and getting better and better.

First of all, obvious question is why are you coming to New Zealand?

[laughs] I've always been intrigued by, um, the league down there, and obviously, uh, I had really good talks with Mark Mitchell and Dylan Butcher, and I really liked the vision they had and the commitment they had to really put a, a really good team on the floor.

And the second thing it, it aligned with my job with Basketball Canada very good.

I had some options here in Europe, um, but this, this aligned much better with Canada and, um, you know, the Breakers, really, Dylan really respected my job with Canada and, and, and really made it work.

What is it about the league that intrigued you?

No, I watched the finals and I've be- I've been intrigued by the league for many years, and I've been very interested in coming down and coaching.

Um, there, I, I think the league is one of the better leagues around.

Very underrated and getting better and better.