An NBL winner is heading to the New Zealand Breakers in a move that has the potential to reignite their offence and add much-needed experience.
Adelaide 36ers captain Mitch McCarron is leaving the South Australian club to sign a two-year deal with the Breakers.
McCarron, 31, has played 245 NBL games and was part of the Melbourne United team that won the league in 2021. He also plays for the Taranaki Airs in the local NBL.
He becomes the fifth player signed to the Breakers’ roster for NBL 2025. Alongside Jackson-Cartwright, the new-look squad includes Kiwi Sam Mennenga, 2023 LA Lakers draft Mojave King and returning Dane Pineau.
“I think Mitch McCarron and Parker Jackson-Cartwright are the perfect pairing,” said Breakers coach Mody Maor.
The 31-year-old will not be wearing the number 10 jersey he is accustomed to as the Breakers retired that number out of respect to Tom Abercrombie.
Maor said the Breakers have lost “significant players” who know what winning looks like.
“It’s essential to bring back into the building players who have this experience and can lead us with their words and hold other players accountable. Mitch McCarron definitely fits that role.”
McCarron said it was the "right decision" to go with the Breakers and that he was excited to play alongside Jackson-Cartwright rather than guarding him.
“He’s super quick, he’s super shifty, you can spend hours watching tape but you make one mistake and he punishes you,” he told 1News.
Mitch McCarron of the 36ers drives to the basket during the round 11 NBL match between Melbourne United and Adelaide 36ers at John Cain Arena, on December 16, 2023. (Source: Getty)
He also said he’d love to get some advice from retired “legend of the league” Tom Abercrombie.
“I’ve been nothing but a competitor with him, I’ve never been a teammate with him, but obviously I’ve heard lots of good things over time, so I’ve got to make a call to him soon.”
As for McCarron himself, he'll bring with him plenty of respect, but also some potential fire if it's warranted.
A video surfaced late last year of him yelling at his teammates during training, after the 36ers sacked coach CJ Bruton and reports surfaced of a snitch in the team during their poor start to the season.
"It's not something I look at as a brag or anything, it was just a heat of the moment thing," explains the guard.
"From my point of view it was just about making sure everyone's head is in the right space and focused on winning and not outside things It's going to be a fresh start, this is going to be a relatively new roster so we'll have to come together and have some real conversations.
"But I have to do my job as well."
Further signings are expected in the coming weeks with the squad to assemble in early August in Auckland.
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