The New Zealand Breakers and head coach Mody Maor have mutually agreed to part ways, sources told ESPN.
Maor - who was at the helm of the Breakers for two NBL seasons - initiated the process of parting ways with the team in order to pursue an opportunity in Asia, sources said. The Breakers agreed to end Maor's contract.
Maor is finalising a two-year deal to become the new head coach of Nagasaki Velca in Japan's B.League, sources said. Nagasaki's roster features former NBL players Yudai Baba and Jarrell Brantley; the latter was coached by Maor at the Breakers during the 2022-23 NBL season.
Maor first joined the Breakers in 2019 as an assistant to Dan Shamir. He was promoted to head coach ahead of the 2022-23 season, leading the team to the Championship Series in his first campaign in charge. Over his two seasons as head coach, Maor amassed a 31-25 regular season record.
The Breakers plan to hold a press conference with Maor later on Thursday to announce the parting of ways, sources said.
Breakers players were informed of Maor's impending departure over the course of Tuesday and Wednesday, sources said.
Maor was widely regarded as one of the NBL's best and most respected head coaches during his time in the league.
He joins a growing list of NBL head coaches to join the Japanese league, alongside the likes of Andrej Lemanis, Shawn Dennis, and Paul Henare.
As free agency continues, the Breakers have Parker Jackson-Cartwright, Mojave King, Jonah Bolden, Mitch McCarron, Sam Mennenga, Dane Pineau, and Grant Anticevich contracted for the 2024-25 NBL season, and are now in the midst of a global search for a new head coach.