If basketball talent is passed down from father to son, then new New Zealand Breakers recruit David Stockton should have no trouble making the transition to the NBL.
David, the son of Naismith Hall of Famer and All Time Utah Jazz assist leader John Stockton, is a slightly built, 25 year old, 5 ft 11 point guard who put up modest numbers at Gonzaga University and went onto have a 10-day NBA stint with the Sacramento Kings in 2015.
But despite David’s moderate success compared to John, he has shown glimmers of the same court vision and passing nous that made his father an NBA legend. His career highlight, thus far, is tying the NBA Development League’s record for most assists in a game just four days after being cut from the Kings, while playing for Reno against the Texas Legends. He had 37 points and 22 assists on the night.
After going un-drafted, David’s career has taken him to and from NBA Summer League and D – League teams, earned him a cup of coffee or two with the Sacramento Kings, and has seen him struggle to make the transition to the Adriatic League, where he was cut after 10 games from a three year deal with Cedevita Zagreb. New Zealand Breakers fans will be hoping that David’s short, wiry frame is up to the task of competing in the NBL, a league renowned for its physicality, and for being ruthless towards under-performing imports.
David will be replacing Ben Woodside, who has suffered a foot injury which will see him sidelined for two months.
Jarrad Hurley's professional basketball aspirations led him to the dizzying heights of the Adelaide social league circuit. After an epiphany that his hoop dreams would go unrealised, he put the ball down and picked up a pen. Jarrad lives vicariously through the successes of Australian basketball, is a mad 36ers fanatic, and might just cry if the Boomers ever medal.
