Tall Black Mennenga signs with Breakers
The New Zealand Breakers have freed a promising Kiwi talent from his contract across the Tasman to secure his services for next season.
Less than two weeks after being eliminated from the NBL playoffs, the Breakers have moved quickly to sign 22-year-old Tall Black Sam Mennenga.
The New Zealand club have bought out of the second year of his contract with the Cairns Taipans to bring him home to Auckland.
The 2.06m forward is a promising talent, having spent two years playing collegiate hoops at Davidson in the United States before forgoing his senior year to take up a two-year deal with the Taipans.
Debuting for the club this season, Mennenga flashed signs of his potential, averaging seven points and four rebounds in 17 minutes per game. Cairns confirmed his release yesterday, though neither club would disclose how much the Breakers paid to free Mennenga from his contract.
Breakers coach Mody Maor is again rebuilding his roster essentially from scratch, with centre Dane Pineau the only other player signed for the 2024-25 NBL season.
“The foundation of the Breakers is New Zealand basketball and we want to have the most fitting Kiwis wearing the Breakers jersey,” Maor said.
“It doesn’t mean we need a roster which is only comprised of New Zealanders but we try to pull out all stops to get Kiwis to add to our culture.
“Sam is a very typical modern big who can also play at centre. He can play inside and out. He’s a good shooter; he’s also a very physical postplayer. He can put the ball on the floor and can also spot up and make decisions.
“His ability to play two positions and do it in different ways is something we missed last season.”
Mennenga was due to return to play for the new Tauranga-based expansion team Whai in the New Zealand NBL, which tips off this month.
However, he exercised the Europe out clause in his contract to instead take up an offer to join AC Karditsas in the Greek league.
The Breakers expect to have their full roster completed and assembled in Auckland by early August.