Brian Wethers on the Hunter Pirates’ best season, his 2005 MVP run and the dark times of the 2000s NBL
August 18, 2025
Brian Wethers
- Nationality: USA
- Date of Birth: 17/12/80
- Place of Birth: Carson, California (USA)
- Position: G/F
- Height (CM): 195
- Weight (KG): 98
- Junior Assoc: None
- College: California (1999–2003)
- NBL DEBUT: 30/09/04
- AGE AT DEBUT: 23
- LAST NBL GAME: 1/01/07
- AGE AT LAST GAME: 26
- NBL History: Hunter 2005 | New Zealand 2007
- Championships: 0
- None
BIO: Brian Augustus Wethers was born in Carson, California, and graduated from Murrieta Valley High School in 1999.
FAMILY: Parents are Elbert and Michele Wethers.
NBL EXPERIENCE
Brian Wethers made his NBL debut with the Hunter Pirates at 23 years of age. He scored 14 points in his first game.
In the Pirates second NBL season, Adrian Hurley was enticed out of semi-retirement to take on the role of head coach. Feeling that the team’s roster was weak and a direct result for their poor performance last season. Hurley retained only three players, Geordie Cullen, Brendan Mann and Josh Morgan from the previous season’s squad that won only two games.
Ben Melmeth (via New Zealand), Russell Hinder (via West Sydney), Brad Davidson (via Townsville), Damon Lowery (via Townville) and Larry Davidson formed the Pirates new look roster and imports Brian Wethers and Kavossy Franklin were signed to provide offensive scoring power.
Under the guidance of former Australian coach Adrian Hurley, the Pirates became a force to be reckoned with and after a slow start (1-4), the Pirates began reeling off victories against some of the league’s best team’s, including a away win over Perth (83-77) and defeating league leaders Wollongong (90–81). Ten games into the season and the Pirates sat in fifth spot on the ladder (5-5) with much of the credit going to the unselfish play of imports Brian Wethers (24.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 2.9 assists) and Kavossy Franklin (20.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.2 steals).
Weathers would go on to be selected in the All-NBL first team and win the league’s Most Valuble Player award, polling 126 votes to take out the NBL’s most prestigious individual
award from Adelaide 36ers star Willie Farley (111) and Cairns Taipans big man Chris Burgess (110). He topped 30 points on nine separate occasions this season, including a 37-point outburst against the Townsville Crocodiles on 13 November.
After the team won their last two games of the season, Hunter would secure the final playoff berth and finish in eighth place (13-15).
In the Elimination Finals, however, Hunter fell short to Brisbane (99-113), a loss which ended playoff run.
NEW ZEALAND BREAKERS
2006/07
After missing the 2005/06 season through injury, 2004 NBL MVP Brian Wethers returned to the league by signing with the New Zealand Breakers (via Hunter). His recruitment was part of head coach Andrej Lemanis’ second-year roster overhaul, with Carlos Powell (via NBA D-League) replacing outgoing forward Rich Melzer and Oscar Forman (via Adelaide) joining the frontcourt. Returning alongside Wethers were captain Paul Henare, veteran shooter Aaron Olson, centre Ben Pepper, Mika Vukona and Tim Behrendorff, forming a core aiming to improve on the previous year’s 9–23 record.
Upon signing Wethers, Lemanis noted his ability to spead the floor would see the rest of the Breakers’ roster benefit from his addition.
“(Wethers’) ability to put points on the board is an obvious asset, but his presence will also free up other players, both inside and on the perimeter.” Lemanis said.
Wethers made an immediate impact, providing an athletic scoring threat on the wing to complement Powell’s inside-out attack. Across 22 games, he averaged 19.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.2 steals, shooting efficiently and often drawing the opposition’s top perimeter defender.
One of Wethers’ standout performances came on November 2, 2006, in the Breakers’ 118–97 upset of defending champions Melbourne. Wethers top-scored with 31 points, supported by Powell (28 points, 8 rebounds) and Olson (21 points, 7 rebounds), as New Zealand overcame their third-quarter lapses to secure a statement win. Earlier in the season he also produced 25 points in Perth, matching Powell’s 25 in a close-fought contest against the Wildcats.
Wethers was again prominent in the historic December 13, 2006, fixture against the expansion Singapore Slingers — the first NBL game between two non-Australian teams. While Powell stole the headlines with 43 points, Wethers contributed valuable wing play alongside Henare (16 points) and Olson (15), though the Breakers fell 111–94 after conceding a decisive first-quarter deficit.
The Breakers entered the New Year on a seven-game losing streak, culminating in an 89–100 road loss to Sydney on January 1, 2007. In that game, Wethers suffered a fractured tibial plateau in his right knee after a collision with teammate Mika Vukona during the first quarter. Powell (28 points, 11 rebounds) and Pepper (19 points, 12 rebounds) led the scoring in his absence, but the injury ruled Wethers out for the remainder of the season, dealing a critical blow to New Zealand’s playoff hopes.
He was replaced by import guard Pierre Wooten, who averaged 8.8 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.8 assists across nine games, but was unable to replicate Wethers’ scoring output. Without their second import scorer, the Breakers endured a 10-game losing run that effectively ended their top-eight aspirations, finishing the season 10th on the ladder with an 11–22 record.
Wethers’ 2006/07 campaign, though shortened, reaffirmed his status as one of the league’s premier scorers. His 19.4 points per game ranked second on the team behind Powell (28.2 points, league leader) and he was one of only four Breakers to average in double figures alongside Powell, Pepper (15.9 points, 7.8 rebounds) and Olson (12.1 points). His ability to draw defensive focus created opportunities for teammates, and his 31-point effort against Melbourne stood as one of the club’s most memorable wins of the season.
While injury curtailed his impact, Wethers’ brief tenure in 2006/07 added another chapter to his NBL career, highlighted by explosive scoring nights, a marquee upset over the defending champions, and his role in giving the Breakers one of their most competitive rosters to that point in franchise history.
Brian Wethers played two seasons in the NBL, playing for both the Hunter Pirates and the New Zealand Breakers. He averaged 22.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.6 assists in 55 NBL games.
NBL TOTAL STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006-07 | 26 | New Zealand | 11-22 (10) | 22 | 755.0 | 427 | 93 | 50 | 32 | 61 | 27 | 7 | 65 | 69 | 164 | 375 | 44% | 39 | 125 | 31% | 60 | 91 | 66% | 51% | 49% | 31 |
| 2004-05 | 24 | Hunter | 15-17 (8) | 33 | 1,261.0 | 803 | 213 | 97 | 65 | 148 | 34 | 10 | 112 | 97 | 316 | 719 | 44% | 74 | 227 | 33% | 97 | 133 | 73% | 51% | 49% | 37 | Totals | 55 | 2016 | 1230 | 306 | 147 | 97 | 209 | 61 | 17 | 177 | 166 | 480 | 1094 | 43.9% | 113 | 352 | 32.1% | 157 | 224 | 70.1% | 52% | 49% | 37 |
NBL PER GAME STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006-07 | 26 | New Zealand | 11-22 (10) | 22 | 34.3 | 19.4 | 4.2 | 2.3 | 1.5 | 2.8 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 7.5 | 17.0 | 44% | 1.8 | 5.7 | 31% | 2.7 | 4.1 | 66% | 51% | 49% | 31 |
| 2004-05 | 24 | Hunter | 15-17 (8) | 33 | 38.2 | 24.3 | 6.5 | 2.9 | 2.0 | 4.5 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 3.4 | 2.9 | 9.6 | 21.8 | 44% | 2.2 | 6.9 | 33% | 2.9 | 4.0 | 73% | 51% | 49% | 37 | Total | 55 | 36.7 | 22.4 | 5.6 | 2.7 | 1.8 | 3.8 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 3.2 | 3.0 | 8.7 | 19.9 | 43.9% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 32.1% | 2.1 | 6.4 | 70.1% | 52% | 49% | 37 |
CAREER HIGHS
| POINTS | REBOUNDS | ASSISTS | STEALS | BLOCKS | TURNOVERS | TRIPLE DOUBLES | 37 | 13 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 10 | 0 |
|---|
NBA EXPERIENCE
After finishing college, Wethers suffered a torn Achilles tendon during a tryout with the Golden State Warriors.
In 2004, he played with the St. Louis Skyhawks in the USBL. Wethers was later selected in the fourth round of the 2007 NBA Development League Draft by the Bakersfield Jam, but appeared in only two games before being released.
INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE
- Germany – Braunschweig (2003) | China – Shandong (2003–2004), Zhejiang (2007) | France – Hyères-Toulon (2005–2006) | New Zealand – Waikato Pistons (2008) | Ukraine – BC Budivelnyk (2008–2009), Khimik Yuzhny (2010) | Lebanon – Antranik SC (2009) | Uruguay – Club Malvín (2009–2010) | Finland – Namika Lahti (2010)
Brian Wethers began his international career in 2003 with Phantoms Braunschweig in Germany before moving to China for the 2003–04 season with the Shandong Lions.
Following a stint in the NBL with the Hunter Pirates, he signed with Hyères-Toulon in France for the 2005–06 LNB Pro A season, appearing in 34 games and averaging 12.5 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.3 assists.
In 2007, Wethers returned to China with the Zhejiang Golden Bulls before joining the Waikato Pistons in New Zealand in 2008, where he won the NZNBL championship, earned All-Star Five honours, and was the league’s scoring champion.
Later in 2008, he signed with BC Budivelnyk in Ukraine, where he played until 2009. That year included short stints with Antranik SC in Lebanon and Club Malvín in Uruguay. In March 2010, he joined Khimik Yuzhny in Ukraine, and later that year signed with Namika Lahti in Finland.
Wethers’ career was cut short by a foot injury, bringing an end to his professional playing days.
COLLEGE
Wethers played college basketball at the University of California, Berkeley, joining the Golden Bears in 1999 and, per multiple season listings, finishing a four-year run that spanned the 1999–2000 through 2002–03 seasons under head coach Ben Braun.
Brian Wethers played three seasons at the University of California, Berkeley (1999–2002), appearing in 95 games with 58 starts and recording career totals of 770 points (8.1 ppg), 299 rebounds (3.1 rpg), 150 assists, 66 steals, and a .476 field goal percentage. Known for his combination of size, strength, leaping ability, and defensive presence, he improved his scoring average in each of his three seasons and developed into one of the team’s most reliable two-way players, with head coach Ben Braun often praising his ability to dominate a game defensively. His career highs included 27 points against Arizona State on March 8, 2001, 10 rebounds against Arizona State on January 8, 2000, six assists against UCLA on February 21, 2002, and four steals against Santa Clara on November 20, 2001. He also recorded single-game marks of 10 field goals made against Arizona State in 2001, five three-pointers against Arizona State in the same game, and nine free throws made against Georgia in 2000.
As a freshman in 1999–2000, Wethers averaged 5.5 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.8 assists while starting 18 games. He did not score in his debut against TCU but had 11 points the next game against Houston and recorded his first career double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds against Arizona State at home on January 8. He also had seven rebounds against Arizona on January 6 and six boards in games against both Oregon and Stanford. He scored 12 points to go with six rebounds and two assists in the home opener against Pacific, dished out a season-best five assists against Davidson, and posted at least three assists seven times. He started the first six games of the year, then returned to the starting unit for six consecutive games from January 2 to January 19. Playing in front of a large contingent of fans from his hometown at USC on February 3, he contributed eight points, three rebounds, two assists, and two steals off the bench.
In 2000–01, Wethers averaged 8.5 points and 2.3 rebounds, leading all Pac-10 guards in field goal percentage at .517 and dramatically improving his three-point shooting from 18.9 percent as a freshman to 43.9 percent. He started the final 23 games of the season, opening with nine points against Mississippi State and following a brief scoring slump with a then-career-high 21 points against Georgia in the Pete Newell Challenge on December 21, 2000. He was named to the Golden Bear Classic all-tournament team after scoring 10 points with three assists against Yale and 12 points with five assists against LaSalle. He led the Bears with 18 points at Stanford in mid-January and averaged 8.0 points while shooting 77.8 percent from the field in a home sweep of Washington and Washington State. On March 3, 2001, he scored 18 points at USC, then delivered his career-high 27 points against Arizona State five days later on 10-of-13 shooting, including 5-of-6 from three-point range. He added 10 points against Fresno State in the NCAA Tournament and was named Cal’s Most Improved Player at season’s end.
As a junior in 2001–02, Wethers averaged 10.3 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.4 assists, ranking second on the team in scoring. He scored 15 points in the season opener against Santa Clara on November 20, 2001, while also recording a career-high four steals. On January 24, 2002, he tallied a season-high 24 points at USC, with 20 coming after halftime, and hit a turnaround three-pointer with four seconds left in regulation to send the game into overtime, a contest Cal eventually won 92–91. He added 18 points at Arizona in the regular season and posted one of his most complete games on February 21 against UCLA with 15 points, six rebounds, and a career-high six assists. He reached double figures 16 times during the year and led Cal in rebounding on seven occasions, including eight boards in a win over Stanford and again against Arizona State at home. In the Pac-10 Tournament semifinals, he scored 22 points against Arizona before adding 19 more in the NCAA Tournament against Penn. His season earned him Cal’s Hustle and Spirit Award.
Wethers then played as a senior in 2002–03, when Sports-Reference lists him at 15.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game, and ESPN’s season split likewise shows 31 games at 32.1 minutes per game with .488 field-goal shooting and .397 from three. California finished 22–9 overall (13–5 in Pac-10 play), earned an NCAA Tournament berth as an East Region No. 8 seed, beat No. 9 seed NC State 76–74 in the first round, and then fell 74–65 to top-seeded Oklahoma in the second round.
Entering that senior campaign, Cal’s official bio described Wethers as a veteran with nearly 60 starts, highlighted his physical, versatile game and defensive impact, and noted that Braun believed he had the capability of “dominating a game” defensively; the same profile also documented his recruiting background, including being rated a top-25 national recruit by Recruiting USA and earning honors such as Riverside County Player of the Year and league MVP as a high school senior.
AWARDS
- 1x time NBL Most Valuable Player (2005)
- 1x All-NBL First Team
- 1x NBL Leading Scorer
- NZNBL champion (2008)
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NZNBL All-Star five (2008)
-
NZNBL scoring leader (2008)
Related
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