KEY POINTS:
When Kirk Penney signed for the Breakers earlier this year, he talked about wanting to help build something meaningful.
He said he wanted to help not just the Breakers, but the game of basketball in this country.
It was a noble sentiment from a player whose talents could
certainly earn him greater riches outside of Australasia.
Penney's arrival, ushered in with his trademark beaming grin, had the potential to be a marriage made in basketball heaven.
His sublime talent, all-round good guy personality - with Penney it is more than just an image - youthful age (27) and North Shore upbringing seemed to make him the perfect franchise cornerstone.
The only problem with the blueprint was that Penney would not commit beyond a first season at the club. Temporary upgrades might be all right for Eden Park, but the Breakers were badly in need of something more permanent.
When pressed on his likely longevity at the club, Penney's scrupulously polite but carefully chosen words amounted to "we'll see".
Yesterday he made up his mind, signing a contract extension that will keep him in Auckland until the end of the 2009-10 season.
"It just feels right," he said.
After eight-and-half years abroad, rediscovering the comforts of home - such as being able to spend Christmas with his family, talk English and develop meaningful friendships - had left him little inclined to leave again soon.
"I've constantly been in situations where the grass seemed greener elsewhere. But if you go chasing the coin or the prestige or whatever, it's not always that fulfilling. I'm in a situation where I thought 'I'm really enjoying this, I think I might do it for a bit longer'.
"You can earn more money overseas but your lifestyle feels a lot more productive here. You don't want to be a fool about it, but this is where I feel I want to be right now. I'm just going with it."
There was also the small matter of needing to walk the walk after having talked the talk.
"I have been preaching about the need for continuity, to keep the same guys together for a while. So I guess it would have felt a little hollow if I hadn't followed through on that myself, just said 'hey guys I'm off'."
Having gently nagged Penney for several months, Breakers general manager Richard Clarke was chuffed with the timing of the deal.
"It's nice to be able to do it during the season so we can say to the fans, the sponsors and the players that Kirk believes in what we are doing - he's in.
"It's a great result for us and a great way to head into Christmas."
Penney's original contract included a contribution from a third party - marketing company Brandish - and Clarke said his new deal contained the flexibility for such arrangements to continue.
"The key part of it is that he's coming back, this is where he wants to be. We'll work out the detail as we go along."
On court, Penney has certainly lived up to his billing. His 22.5 points per game place him second in the league behind only Brisbane's Ebi Ere.
Behind the scenes, too, Penney's influence has been equally valuable. Impressive import Rick Rickert knew Penney from their college days and came to New Zealand on his recommendation. Penney has also had plenty of input into the new defensive system adopted by the team this season.
If capturing Penney for a season was a bit of a coup for Breakers management, keeping hold of him is like bringing down the Berlin wall.
"He's a key cog in the wheel, in making this thing go where we all want it to go," coach Andrej Lemanis said.
"It's certainly a tribute to the club's management that a guy like Kirk has endorsed what we are doing by deciding he wants to stay and be part of it."
With other key contributors such as Paul Henare, Phill Jones, Tony Ronaldson and Oscar Foreman all signed for next season or beyond, the club's roster has a stable look to it.
Lemanis, who is also contracted for another two seasons, said the team's 10-8 record showed that stability was starting to bear fruit. Sixth in the 13-team league and in line for their first appearance in the playoffs, the Breakers have a tough run in. Eight of their final 12 matches - including their next three - are away in Australia. Just four of their games are against teams outside of the top eight.
"January will determine the outcome of our season," Lemanis said.
