Inside new NZ owner's quest for former glory

• Marc Mitchell, a businessman from California who lives in Auckland, has taken over as owner of the New Zealand Breakers
• Former owners, Paul and Liz Blackwell, are back involved as directors
• Mitchell's first move as owner as appointing Tall Blacks and Breakers legend Dillon Boucher as President of Basketball Operations

The New Zealand Breakers are back in Kiwi hands, well a Californian who now resides in Auckland, and hopes are high the once powerful club can return to its former glory in the NBL.

Marc Hinton from The Post in New Zealand, spoke to the 47-year-old businessman Marc Mitchell after his purchase of the Breakers.

A Return to Championship Foundations

Mitchell, who now calls Auckland home along with his New Zealand-born wife Jessica and their three children, has made his intentions clear from the outset.

"We want to win on the court and we want to be leaders off the court," Mitchell told media in an exclusive interview, emphasising his commitment to community presence and doing things "the right way."

The new ownership structure speaks volumes about Mitchell's approach. His investment group includes successful Kiwi entrepreneurs Leon and Stephen Grice, along with their business partner Sean Colgan. Most telling, however, is the inclusion of former club owners Paul and Liz Blackwell and ex-Breaker and Tall Black Tom Abercrombie, who will serve as Mitchell's primary basketball adviser.

In what many fans will see as a statement of intent, Mitchell's first staff appointment brings club legend Dillon Boucher back to the Breakers. Boucher, who won three championships as a player before serving as general manager, returns as president of basketball operations after leaving his role as chief executive at Basketball New Zealand.

Reconnecting with the Past

This strategic return to foundation pieces from the championship years — when the Breakers claimed four titles in five seasons between 2011-15 — represents more than nostalgia. It signals a clear understanding of what made the club successful.

"It's important to re-establish that foundation, and the response from fans and sponsors has been incredible," Mitchell said. "We have a model to follow based on the success in the past. We know what that is and we will execute on that."

The Californian doesn't mince words when discussing the direction the club took under previous owner Matt Walsh's seven-year regime. Without directly criticising his predecessor, Mitchell makes it clear that fundamental changes are coming.

"We want to get back to this team representing this country, being leaders in the community, and representing basketball from the grassroots all the way up to professional. That has not been done in recent times,” he said.

Embracing New Zealand Identity

Perhaps the most significant shift under Mitchell's ownership will be a return to the club's New Zealand roots. Under Walsh, the Breakers steadily moved away from having a strong core of local players, allowing talents like Shea Ili, Rob Loe, Izayah Le'afa, Yanni Wetzell and Tai Webster to depart. Similarly, respected Kiwi coaches Paul Henare, Mike Fitchett, Judd Flavell, and Zico Coronel were all cut loose.

Mitchell is emphatic about reversing this trend: "That's not going to happen on my watch. We're going to do things differently. This is a new chapter."

The new owner firmly believes in what former championship coach Andrej Lemanis eventually realised — that the team's "New Zealand-ness" was a strength, not a weakness.

"Former players talk about us being Kiwi as a superpower, that it was an advantage, and I agree with that," Mitchell said.

"Our fans will be pleasantly surprised about the focus on Kiwi players, and, more importantly, Kiwi development."

The Man Behind the Vision

So who exactly is Marc Mitchell? Born and raised in Los Angeles, he attended Stanford University, graduating with a law degree specialising in business. It was there he met his future wife Jessica, a New Zealander raised in San Francisco. The couple has been making regular trips to New Zealand for two decades, eventually deciding to make Auckland their permanent home five years ago with their three children.

Mitchell's professional background spans law, media, technology and venture capital.

"I started as an attorney, working in media and technology, ran a record label for Universal, then got into digital publications and technology, and ended up doing venture capital in those spaces," he said.

His connections extend to the highest echelons of American politics — he's provided advice to two US presidents and a vice-president, was mentored by former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and reportedly maintains close relationships with Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff. However, Mitchell politely steers clear of American politics in interviews, preferring to focus on basketball.

Leadership Philosophy

Mitchell describes himself as a hands-on owner who also believes in empowering experts.

"In my businesses I bring in experts and let them do what they're good at," he said.

"There's no better basketball man than Dillon, he's so respected in this part of the world, he's trusted amongst a lot of people in basketball. I will be hands-on, but I'm not a micro-manager. I will hire great people and empower them."

This philosophy extends to on-court leadership as well. Mitchell has confirmed he will retain coach Petteri Koponen and honour existing player contracts, including those of Tacko Fall, Sam Mennenga, Max Darling, Mitch McCarron, Sean Bairstow, and Next Star Karim Lopez.

"What I saw as a fan was even when the team was struggling, guys were playing hard. That says a lot about a coach," Mitchell said on Koponen.

"The feedback we got consistently was that guys liked playing for him."

Addressing Fan Concerns

When asked what he would say to Breakers fans who might be wary of having another American owner after the Walsh era, Mitchell replied with characteristic directness: "I would say not all Americans are the same. I would also say it's important now and in the future to judge us on what we do, who we bring in, and who's a part of this. Those actions speak a lot louder than anything I can tell you."

He also moved quickly to dispel any rumours about the team relocating.

"There have been rumours over the years that this team was going to move... that's not going to happen. We're in Auckland, we represent New Zealand, and we're not going anywhere. We will always be the one team representing this country in that competition,” he said.

For the full story on The Post, click here.