Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Dancy Wildegrave
from News Talks.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
It'd be break as basketball is the subject of tonight.
We joined by owner of the franchise, owner of the club,
Met Walsh.
Speaker 3 (00:20):
Good evening, Matt, Yeah, thanks for having me.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Great to have you on board. It's not been the
best season, has it. It started off with a hiss
and a roar, but since trialed away somewhat. Are you
alarmed by this? Have you seen the reason as to
why things have trickled away from you? Guys?
Speaker 3 (00:38):
You know, this is my eighth year. I believe seventh
or eighth at this point, I lost track, but you know,
nothing surprises me at this point. You know, we started
off seven and three. I was with the team at
the NBA Tour. I watched us, you know, lose all
of our preseason games. And while I was pleasantly surprised
by how we started, you know, I didn't think at
(01:01):
the time that we had a team that could compete
for a championship. And and you know that's why we
made the big change and brought Taco in. It's been
disappointing the results, but you know, like everything, when I
evaluate the breakers I evaluate the work that goes in
and the process and not the results. And look, it's
always disappointing, especially after two years ago being four minutes
(01:24):
from a championship, last year making the playoffs. I'm dying
to win, and you know, every decision that I make
with the breakers is based on how I can put
a championship team out there. And obviously it's been disappointing
for myself, for the fans, for everybody. But you know,
we're continuing to work, and you know, we're never We're
never going to stop trying.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
Looking back, was the idea the dry behind going to
the States? Was that worth it? All that time traveling
the league's being tied? Do you think it was a
good move.
Speaker 3 (01:51):
Yeah, I mean, if you look at it, we were
two and zero when we went to the States, and
we came back and we won five of our next eight,
and you know, all it really did was was add
an extra one or two doubleheaders for us. This year,
we had such an abbreviated preseason that we looked at
the NBA Tour, as you know, we get through the
first two games and then we'll have a little over
two weeks together play against some top flight competition, spend
(02:15):
a lot of quality time together. We looked at it
as an extended preseason, but it's something we're evaluating and
it's something that we're looking hard at whether we'll do
next year, which will you know, whether we'll continue the
NBA Tour, And I think right now it's probably fifty
to fifty. I've heard the feedback, I've heard the you know,
the fans obviously, but you know when I bought the breakers,
and I think one thing that gets lost with the
(02:36):
NBA Tour is that it's an incredible opportunity for our
kiwis and our Australians and guys like Alex mcnawd and
in the past Fimdalaney and guys who for you know,
will will never get to play at that highest level
besides what we do by putting on the NBA Tour.
And the other thing I would say is that people
make the comment that it's a money grab for me.
I can tell you that we make zero dollars on
(02:57):
the NBA Tour zero. You know, It's something that I
do because I think it's great for building our brand
and our profile, and I think it's an amazing opportunity.
I got the chance to play a few games, and
I can tell you if you asked our players, they
would tell you that they wouldn't trade it for anything.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
You can flick players on that do well. The I'm
take a bit of coin around that one, can't you met?
Speaker 3 (03:17):
Yeah, you know it's pretty uncommon though, you know, we've
put it this way. In of all the I think
we played the eight NBA games now, we've never had
a player that has gone and crushed it in the
NBA Games and then been bought out. So while it's
great for Kareem Lopez, it's great for the uslan Jangs
all of our next stars to get that profile. And
to be honest, it's how we get the high level
(03:40):
next stars. And I think Kareem has been a major
bright spot for US this year. Seventeen years old, he's
had He's in the midst of an historic run. I
hope that continues today. But you know, part of our
recruitment and getting you know these guys who end up
being great contributors. You know, Ryann Rupert was a starter
on our team that went to the finals, is we
tell them, hey, you're going to get an opportunity to
play these NBA games.
Speaker 2 (04:01):
Good Bye to Royal elemen. Look, you mentioned tac I fool.
You got them turned up and you hoping for the
big things that hasn't materialized. In retel speak, which is
all very good twenty twenty vision looking back, was that
the right move for the club bringing this guy in
because it was a long process. Wasn't it getting him
over here and slightly working out to fit him in
(04:23):
the roster as a pike dividends?
Speaker 3 (04:26):
Yeah, you know a lot went into that decision. So
you know, we, like I said, we had a great
start to the year. But if you looked at Freddy Gillespie,
who he ended up releasing. You know, at the time
when we released Freddy, he was averaging seven points in
four rebounds, and by any measure in the NBL, that's
as an as an import, that's somebody who is not
(04:47):
living up to import expectations. In the preseason, he had
budd in Sean Bruce got suspended for our first game,
put us in a tough spot, and to be quite honest,
when he got to New Zealand, he was just kind
of like a grumpy and unhappy guy. And look, he
grew into his role this isn't a knock on Freddy,
but we felt like at the time, ultimately the buck
(05:07):
stops with me, that it's a major upgrade. And both
Taco and Freddie had played in the G League. They
played in some really leagues, and there's no comparison to
the production in terms of Taco and Freddy. And obviously
we have not figured it out as a team, and ultimately,
you know, it falls back on me. But again, I'm
not interested in finishing fifteen and fifteen or fifteen and
(05:28):
fourteen and losing in the six verse five game. You know,
that's not what I'm interested in. Building championship rosters, and
sometimes in order to do that, you have to take
big swings. And I felt like, because of Mody leaving
last year, after he built the roster a complete overhaul,
losing all of our key locals, I needed to do
something that could make up for the talent gap that
(05:50):
you know that I felt we had with the top
two or three teams, and that big swing was was
signing Taco. And obviously, look, the proof is in the putting.
It hasn't worked as a team. I think next year,
you know, assuming Taco is back, I'll put it this.
I think it's a team. It's the the reason for
our losses are the team up and down. And I
think that if we build properly around Taco, I think
(06:12):
he can be a major, major force in our league
and a unique force that forces teams to play a
certain way. And the other thing is, you know, I
would I would appreciate a little bit better whistle from
the officials. I think they're treating him. I think they're
treating him like Prime Scheck, hanging on his arm every
time he's in the paint side.
Speaker 2 (06:29):
Taco fool. If you had you a y, you'd bring
him back Nakes season. The decision is up to him.
Speaker 3 (06:34):
Well, look, he's under contract, but you know he's got
to buy out in there. And Taco is a guy
who's made a whole lot of money, you know, playing
in China. He's making a million bucks a month, and
he's he's he's going to be now that he's healthy.
You know, he believe it or not, he's got the
highest per in the history of the NBL. So while
he's not playing that many minutes, he's producing at a
(06:56):
historic level. And there's going to be a lot of
teams out there that want him. So when I say
if he'll be back, he's under contract, but there's always
a chance with a guy like Taco, who's high profile
and who you know, has had the success that he's had,
will get bought out. So you know that that's something
for the off season though.
Speaker 2 (07:13):
Yeah, Matt Walsh, we'll say talking about continuing players at PJAC,
it was so awful when he got dropped for five games.
That didn't help me anything likely that he where he
signed the next season.
Speaker 3 (07:23):
Again, I can tell you we're certainly trying. PJC was
certainly hurt by that decision, you know. I you know,
and we had in depth conversations with the league. I
didn't think it was fair that, you know, he didn't
instigate that he was pushed in the back. He obviously reacted.
I didn't think there was anything nefarious with the officials.
I think it was just an emotional reaction. Again, I
(07:46):
didn't agree with it, but I think there's some there's
some work to do just in terms of the trust
between PJC and the league, and you know how he
was treated and how he feels about that. But I
can tell you that you know, we made the highest
offer in the history of the breakers last season to
keep him, and we've we've done the same to try
and keep him this time around.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
So, Matt Wellson, how likely is the signing of Page?
I say, are you confident in getting a signatory game
when you.
Speaker 3 (08:14):
Have a guy like PJC? I think the best you
can ever be is hopeful, because he's going to have
so many suitors. He's had two incredible seasons. If you know,
if he wasn't suspended this year, he was well in
the mix of MVP or certainly first team All League.
Probably being suspended five games means he will you know,
he won't be getting those individual accolades, but he's going
(08:35):
to have euro League euro Cup teams on their NBL teams,
I'm sure, And we're going to do everything we can
to keep him. Like I said, you know, he's we
made the biggest offer in the history of the club
last year and we were able to keep him. And
he absolutely loves his time here. I think he was
hurt by the league's decision to suspend him five games,
and you know, we're going to try our best and
(08:56):
we're going to make, you know, another substantial offer that
will be the you know, make of the highest paid
player in the history of the Breakers, and we're hopeful,
and I can tell you it's our number one priority.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
Kopp, with his future dotted off with a hess and
a roar, after being signed last minute, said.
Speaker 3 (09:12):
Yeah, it's not easy first year head coach a league
that is so fantastic, a lot of great coaches. I
believe in Cope, and you know, probably the one thing
that was the most difficult for Cope was making the
big change for a first year guy, having a new
player come in. But again, you know, I didn't feel
that we could compete with a championship with the roster
that we had. And but Coke's under contract and Cope
(09:35):
will certainly be back, and we'll evaluate everything and we'll
look at like we do every offseason, even you know,
the year that we lost in Game five to the finals.
We look at everything we can do to be a
little bit better. And part of that will be roster building.
Part of that will be you know, his his continued
development as a coach. But you know, when we signed Cope,
(09:55):
it wasn't hey, we hope you do really great your
first year. It was understanding that he's a first year
head coach. In one of the best leagues in the world,
and that there would be some growing pains, and you know,
there's no clas Cope puts in the work, and I
can tell you that the you know, the lack of
wins is not for lack of work or lack of
trying from the staff and the players. They've stayed engaged.
(10:17):
I appreciate that greatly and it hurts them more than anyone,
that's for sure.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
So you talk about building a rosta big signings on
the horizon. Besides trying to retain Jackson cont Roight, who
else have you got lined up? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (10:31):
You know, the great thing is that we've got our
next star, and I can tell you that Kareem Lopez
performing that the way he has as a seventeen year old,
We're very excited to be able to, you know, kind
of lock him into that starting three next year. We've
got a couple other guys under contract and you know,
a lot of it will the premium in our league
(10:52):
is locals, and after last year with Mody leaving us
late and losing Will mcdal white and some of our
key local guys, you know, we have Sam and inga
coming back, which is absolutely fantastic. He's been a real
bright spot for us this year, but it all starts
with the low so it'd be great to get PJC
back and then you know, see see who hits the
market in terms of the locals, and you never know,
(11:14):
I mean, Fin Delany's in Japan will see you know
what's going on with him. And we're going to do
our best. I mean, I hear the fans and nobody
wants this team to be built around Kiwi's and top
Kiwi's more than me.
Speaker 2 (11:26):
You know.
Speaker 3 (11:26):
Unfortunately life and financial offers getting away sometimes, but you
know that'll be our focus is trying to get a
really great Kiwi Corps. And I also think one thing
that we really couldn't account for was just the impact
of losing Tom Avercomie. We've always had, and I say
always for literally the last seventeen years or whatever, was
(11:46):
Tom as our backstop. Okay, things are going back. Tom
is the is the guy who kind of levels us
out and we didn't have that this year for the
first time. And Mitch has done a really good job,
really professional, but he's not Tom, and no one is.
So you know, next year will be year two and
I think trying to find some more Kiwis to come
back and be and be that local core will be
(12:07):
great for us.
Speaker 2 (12:08):
And finally, Matt Walson, thanks so much for your time.
As always, you talked about fan engagement. Is that still there?
Is that still good? Especially when you consider that for
all intents and purposes, your season's cooked.
Speaker 3 (12:21):
Yeah, it's been great. Look, I've said it before, and
I'm sure if you interviewed any NBL owner they'd say
it kind of in passing, But I truly believe that
we have the best fan base. They've stuck with us.
And when I say I hear the fans, it's just look,
I you know, you hear the detractors the loudest, right,
And I hate the fact that, you know, we came
(12:43):
into this season with so much, so many changes, and
we weren't able to turn it around. And especially after
the success of the last two years, I hate that
we're not, you know, in the hunt for a playoff
spot or a top four spots. So our fans have
stuck with us. The crowds have been great at Spark Arena,
but I want to put a championship contender out there
for our fans. That's what they deserve, that's what we owe.
So I'm very grateful to our fans for sticking with us.
(13:05):
But again I think that you know the story of
our season, and the big change I made was I'm
not interested in just competing. I want to win a
championship and that's been my goal since day one. And
you know, this offseason will reflect and see what we
can do better, like we do every year. But grateful
to the fans. They've been fantastic. It's not on them,
you know. Ultimately it's on me to put a championship
team out there for them.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
And on that Matt Walsh, we thank you very much
for your time and your availability. You look after yourself
out of state side. Look forward to seeing you back
here sooner rather than lady you go.
Speaker 3 (13:34):
Well, yeah, thanks you too.
Speaker 1 (13:36):
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