Basketball: Breakers snare Hudson

The New Zealand Breakers today added one of the final pieces of the roster for the upcoming Australian NBL season, signing American Will Hudson. Photo / Getty Images.

The New Zealand Breakers today added one of the final pieces of the roster for the upcoming Australian NBL season, with American Will Hudson making the move from the Gold Coast Blaze.

Former Blaze big man Hudson, 23, is a welcome addition to the roster as the Breakers seek a three-peat of titles, bringing yet more options and depth in the forward rotation for coach Andrej Lemanis.

Hudson is essentially a replacement for fellow American Gary Wilkinson, who last month signed for Estonian champions BC Kalev/Cramo.

"We are very pleased to have secured Will for the upcoming season," Lemanis said. "Our staff has always been very impressed with his work ethic, his rebounding and his activity at the defensive end.

"From the research we have done, we believe he will fit well into the Breakers environment as a person and as a player. He plays as part of the group and is willing to do the things that help his team mates to be better.

"He is still young and we believe that he will continue to grow and improve in our environment, supported by the quality of people he has around him on our team. Will is a good pick up for us."

The 2.06m Hudson is one of the league's leading offensive rebounders, finishing third in the league last season with 3.4 per game, and is also a threat on offence, contributing 9.5 points per game for the Blaze.

Hudson was recruited to the Blaze straight from back to back NCAA tournament appearances with Oakland University, where he set a school record of 133 offensive boards in his senior year.

Hudson's signing leaves just two spots open on the roster, with the club continuing to work on their options over the next few weeks. The two remaining positions will be filled by a local guard and an import point guard, with Cedric Jackson's availability subject to his success in earning an NBA contract.