Basketball: Breakers' star earned the right

The Breakers are keen to keep Kirk Penney happy. Photo / Sarah Ivey

There's no easy answer to whether Kirk Penney was right to skip last weekend's Breakers games to attend his brother's wedding in Italy.

On an emotional level, being there for a family member at an important occasion wins hands down every time. But on a professional level, he should have sucked it up and done his job.

Yet the Breakers' insistence the club would treat every player the way they have treated Penney these past months is complete cobblers.

The idea that another player would have been allowed to pursue other career options despite there being no allowance for it in their contract is laughable.

Penney was allowed to trial with San Antonio purely to keep him happy.

Penney's happiness is important to the Breakers. If he is happy he might stay despite the temptation of more lucrative offers. And if he stays the club benefits, both on and off the court.

But would, say, Corey Webster have been allowed to skip pre-season to trial with an overseas club? Don't bet on it.

As for Penney's wedding trip, he's said he hopes other people would do the same. The fact is, most don't. Most simply aren't permitted such liberties.

That's why professional sports teams don't end up like a village cricket side, ringing around for players on a Thursday night because half the team has organised a fishing charter on match day.

Professional sports people have certain obligations. A clue to what those obligations are can be found on their fixture list.

Even players who can opt out of important matches usually don't.

Compare Penney with, say, England league halfback Luke Robinson, who missed his own wedding to play for his country in the Four Nations after a surprise call-up.

While Robinson was getting smashed to pieces Down Under, his best mates went to Las Vegas for a stag do with no stag, then 60 friends and family flew to Cyprus for a wedding with no groom. The tickets were already booked.

Like Penney's, Robinson's decision can be viewed alternately as selfish or laudable. His still-fiancee would doubtless take one view, the coach of the England team quite another. One wonders where Breakers season-ticket holders sit on Penney?

The fact is Penney has earned the right to take liberties that wouldn't be available to others. He is a big star, and allowances are made for big stars.

Breakers officials can tout the club's family values, togetherness and the inclusiveness of their decision-making all they like, but it will be interesting to see how many other players miss matches to attend weddings, birthdays, christenings, reunions or fishing trips.

Certainly fewer than the number of matches Penney has played so far this season.