Gordon Herbert has signed a two-year deal to become the new head coach of the New Zealand Breakers, sources told ESPN.
Herbert -- who's currently the head coach of the Canadian national team -- had been in ongoing talks with the Breakers over the last few weeks, sources said, with those discussions culminating in a deal that will see one of international basketball's most accomplished and revered coaches join one of the NBL's most successful franchises.
The 67-year-old is best known for his accomplishments on the international stage, guiding the German national team to a gold medal at the 2023 FIBA World Cup. He was subsequently named the new head coach of the Canadian national team for the 2027 FIBA World Cup and 2028 Summer Olympics.
Most recently in domestic competition, Herbert served as head coach of EuroLeague team Bayern Munich for the 2024-25 season.
The signing is a substantial coup for Breakers general manager Dillon Boucher and owner Marc Mitchell who have lured one of world basketball's most decorated figures to New Zealand.
The appointment will see Herbert step into the head coach position left vacant by Petteri Koponen, who parted ways with the Breakers after two seasons at the helm. New Zealand went 23-39 under the Finnish coach across two campaigns, though the team did claim the Ignite Cup -- the NBL's in-season tournament -- in 2026.
Over his career, Herbert has built an extensive résumé spanning multiple continents. He served as an assistant coach for the Toronto Raptors during the 2008-09 NBA season, and has held head coaching roles at Alba Berlin, s.Oliver Würzburg, Paris Basket Racing, Aris, and Bayern Munich
Herbert will lead a Breakers team that's returning high-level starters Parker Jackson-Cartwright and Sam Mennenga, as well as Carlin Davison, Izayah Le'Afa, and Reuben Te Rangi. The Breakers have added free agents Dejan Vasiljevic, Kouat Noi, and Preston Le Gassick over the course of this offseason.
The Breakers are permitted to fill two more import spots to their 11-man roster as NBL free agency continues.