He was also named Most Valuable Player of this year's ANBL Grand Final series, but his contributions to this year's Tall Blacks campaign were disappointing and Breakers coach Andrej Lemanis stood him down to rest for two weeks when he returned to the club afterwards.
"These guys can't play 12 months of the year," lamented Lemanis at the time. "There are three different groups pulling on them and there's clearly a need to work together with Basketball New Zealand on ways to better manage that so they can peak at the right times of the year."
Abercrombie was listening and is inclined to take matters into his own hands. "I was very burnt out after the Tall Blacks and it was amazing how much better I felt after taking that time off," he reflects.
"I felt like a completely different person, mentally as much as physically, and felt really good about coming back to play basketball.
"I certainly noticed the benefits of just having two weeks off and now feel I need to find that time every year."
Abercrombie doesn't have to look far for an example of someone who appreciates the importance of rest and recovery. Tall Blacks captain Kirk Penney hasn't played in the NBL since 2000, and makes a point of taking a couple of months' break between his professional and international duties.
But Penney earns enough to make any NBL contract mere pocket change, whereas most Kiwi hoopsters can't afford the luxury of turning that money down.
"I've spoken to guys who have been around the league for a long time," says Abercrombie. "Several of them have said it's not easy because you think you can keep playing, but, looking back on it, sometimes the best thing to do is take a rest while you can."
Re-energised by his enforced break, Abercrombie has lifted his play another notch from last summer. Opening with 25 points in a 102-87 road win over Gold Coast, he's averaging 12.7 points a game as the team's second-leading scorer behind American Gary Wilkinson (17.9).
With the loss of Penney to Spain this season, the Breakers have looked across its roster to fill the scoring void and Abercrombie is just one player expected to help out.
"I've been solid, but not spectacular so far," he assesses. "I always expect the best out of myself and have to keep pushing to get consistent.
"My outside shot has gotten a lot better - I'm very happy with that - but I've got to keep working on other areas like rebounding, my positioning under the hoop and my two-point range hasn't been as good as I'd like."
This season, the Breakers are travelling well enough in their efforts to repeat. They fell to 5-2 with their 63-81 loss win to Wollongong Hawks on Friday night, creating enough chances to win, but suffering from an anemic 30 per cent shooting display.
"A lot of people talked about who would step up to replace Kirk and we all said it would be a team thing. Everyone laughed about it, but that's exactly what we're seeing.
"We're a different team to last year - we play defence a lot harder, we're locking down teams better, but offensively we're still getting it done.
"Individually, I feel a bit of the pressure, but try not to read too much into that. I just go out there, do what I do and it's either good enough or it's not."
