Basketball On The Internet.

REIGNING FIBA World Champion coach Gordon Herbert has accepted the task of turning the NBL's Ignite Cup holding New Zealand Breakers back into a powerhouse, and Tasmania has confirmed securing prodigal son Taran Armstrong for the JackJumpers' 2026-27 campaign.

The last time we saw the Burnie-born potential-Boomer Armstrong in the NBL he was busy compiling a triple-double for the Cairns Taipans against Brisbane before stints in the NBA G-League and also at Dubai.

Armstrong, 24 and a 196cm point guard will share duties in that role with returning Sean MacDonald and Ben Ayre, giving the Jackies greater flexibility in their import selections.

His return also will ignite further excitement at possible future Boomers backcourts, Bryce Cotton now also suiting for Australia and reports linking a comeback in the NBL for Patty Mills. We also boast some pretty solid NBA guards ahead of the 2027 World Cup and LA Olympics.

Already committed to an NBL return for 2026-27 and 2026-28 is Joe Ingles, 38, at Melbourne United where he will join another former Cairns Taipans' face in Sam Waardenburg.

Ingles, coming off Minnestota's NBA playoff campaign, also will reunite with regular Boomers teammate Chris Goulding.

Securing Coach Herbert to succeed Peteri Koponen at New Zealand is quite the coup, the Breakers already adding notable 3-point specialists last seen in the 2026 Grand Final series, Dejan Vasiljevic (36ers) and Kouat Noi (Kings).

Herbert had the reins of the German national team at the 2023 FIBA World Cup where he famously quarrelled at an early tournament time-out with his star NBA guard Dennis Schröder.

The disagreement ultimately made little difference to how he had Germany playing, his team continuing on to win its historic first World Cup, beating the much-vaunted USA along the way.

A year later, Herbert steered the world champions back to the Paris Olympic semi finals in a campaign which included the scalp of eventual silver medallist France.

Currently also committed to coaching the national team of Canada, Herbert, 67, will continue in that role during his run as Breakers head coach.