Perth snap up Webster

The Breakers’ worst fears have been realised, with their staunchest rivals, and back-to-back Australian NBL champions, the Perth Wildcats swooping on discarded shooting guard Corey Webster.

The Wildcats said yesterday they had made the 28-year-old Tall Black and three-time champion with the Breakers their first freeagent signing for the 2017-18 season.

It’s a particularly poignant signing for the record-breaking Perth club who have made the ANBL post-season for 31 consecutive years – a mark believed to be unmatched in major professional sporting leagues around the world.

Between them and the Auckland-based Breakers they have won the last eight championships in a run stretching back to 2010, and over that time an intense and at-times bitter rivalry has developed between the league’s two farthest flung clubs.

The North Shore-born Webster had been a career Breaker until the club decided to part ways with him following a problematic 2016-17 season that saw him struggle with form and injury, as well as the distractions of multiple assault charges that are still in the courts system.

But the Wildcats have shown no hesitation in jumping at the chance to make a world-class addition to their backcourt, alongside veteran point man Damian Martin and Webster’s fellow Tall Black, Jarrod Kenny.

Webster said he was hopeful a fresh start in Perth would be a positive move for his career.

‘‘I can’t wait to start playing NBL basketball again,’’ he said.

Breakers GM Dillon Boucher had said they believed it was the right move for both Webster and and the club for him to further his professional career away from the organisation.

But he admitted that the Breakers ran the risk of him ending up at one of their rival organisations. ‘‘I think there will probably be seven [ANBL] clubs that want his signature,’’ he said at the time. ‘‘It could come back to be detrimental to us if he plays on a team against us. But we know that’s what’s going to be best for Corey and we wish him the best fulfilling his dreams.’’

Now a worst-case scenario has played out for the Breakers, with a Wildcats side they measure themselves against snapping him up. Though Webster has had a troubled past, including a year-long suspension for a second failed drugs test for synthetic cannabis, the Wildcats will back themselves to get the best out of the hugely talented Kiwi.

‘‘Corey’s a world-class shooter,’’ said Wildcats coach Trevor Gleeson. ‘‘One of the best shooters I’ve coached against. I’m excited he’s joining our squad. He’ll bring a different perimeter threat out there and he’ll fit well with us.

‘‘We’ve played against him a number of times in the finals. To have that firepower on our team, combined with our defence, it’s going to open up a lot of avenues for our guys.’’