Sam Mennenga has signed a new two-year deal to remain with the New Zealand Breakers, sources told ESPN.
Mennenga was set to become one of the most sought-after NBL free agents on the market, but the Breakers made it a priority to retain him, with the Kiwi forward/big man now contracted through the 2027-28 season.
The 24-year-old is coming off the best season of his young career, averaging 17.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game for the Breakers over the 2025-26 NBL regular season. He won the league's Next Generation Award, which is given to the best player under the age of 25.
Mennenga is currently playing for Xinjiang Guanghui in the Chinese Basketball Association.
Ahead of re-signing with the Breakers, Mennenga attracted substantial interest from across world basketball. In the NBL, the Tasmania JackJumpers and Illawarra Hawks were the two teams prepared to show the most interest in Mennenga, sources said, while he also had suitors across both the EuroLeague and Japanese B.League.
The re-signing of Mennenga is important for a Breakers team that's been adamant on keeping Kiwi talent within the franchise. Mennenga is the latest product of Auckland's Westlake Boys High School to be a member of the Breakers for multiple seasons, following in the footsteps of Tom Abercrombie, Kirk Penney, Rob Loe, Tai Webster, and Corey Webster.
With the signing, Mennenga joins Parker Jackson-Cartwright, Reuben Te Rangi, and Izayah Le'Afa as contracted players on the Breakers roster. Taylor Britt has a team option for the 2026-27 season.
The Breakers are still without a head coach, after a mutual parting of ways with Petteri Koponen after the 2025-26 regular season. The team remains in talks with Mody Maor -- who coached the Breakers from 2022-2024 -- on a potential deal to rejoin the franchise as its head coach. Maor has spent the last two seasons as head coach of Nagasaki Velca.
