Thomas Abercrombie (basketball)

For other people named Thomas Abercrombie, see Thomas Abercrombie (disambiguation).
Thomas Abercrombie
No. 10 – New Zealand Breakers
Position Small forward / Shooting guard
League NBL
Personal information
Born (1987-07-05) 5 July 1987
Auckland, New Zealand
Nationality New Zealand
Listed height 198 cm (6 ft 6 in)
Listed weight 94 kg (207 lb)
Career information
High school Westlake Boys
(Auckland, New Zealand)
College Washington State (2007–2008)
Playing career 2008–present
Career history
2008–present New Zealand Breakers
2009–2011 Waikato Pistons
2014 ASVEL Basket
2015 Gipuzkoa Basket
2016 Pınar Karşıyaka
Career highlights and awards

Thomas Iain Abercrombie (born 5 July 1987) is a New Zealand professional basketball player for the New Zealand Breakers of the National Basketball League (NBL).

High school and college career

Abercrombie captained the Westlake Boys High School to the national secondary schools basketball title in his senior year, averaging 20.5 points, 11 rebounds and 2.8 steals per game, while being named NZ Academy of Sport High Performance Player for the second successive year. He won the WBHS Trophy for Academic and Sporting Excellence in 2002 and 2004.

In 2006, Abercrombie moved to the United States to attend Washington State University. However, in 2006–07, he did not play for the Cougars. In 2007–08, he played 12 games, averaging 1.2 points and 1.5 rebounds per game.[1] Following the 2007–08 season, he returned to New Zealand.

Professional career

New Zealand

New Zealand Breakers

In June 2008, Abercrombie signed with the New Zealand Breakers as a development player for the 2008–09 NBL season.[2] He would later go on to help the Breakers win three consecutive NBL championships from 2011–2013 and also be awarded the Larry Sengstock Medal for being the 2011 Grand Final's Most Valuable Player. Abercrombie won his fourth ANBL championship in 2014–15, leading the Breakers alongside imports Cedric Jackson and Ekene Ibekwe.[3]

On 27 May 2015, Abercrombie re-signed with the Breakers on a three-year deal.[4]

Waikato Pistons

In September 2008, Abercrombie signed with the Waikato Pistons for the 2009 New Zealand NBL season.[5] As a rookie, he led the Pistons to their fourth championship and played outstanding in the finals series, averaging 17.0 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game, being one of the Pistons top players. Along with a championship, he was named Rookie of the Year and to the All-Star Five.

Following that championship, Abercrombie was unable to taste championship success with the Pistons again, losing in the finals series the next year to a well drilled Wellington Saints team. Although they lost that finals series, he averaged 25.0 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game. For his efforts, he was named to the All-Star Five.[6]

Abercrombie's third season for the Pistons was a late start because of New Zealand Breakers duties, but he came back to the Pistons and led them to the second best record in the NZNBL heading into the Final Four weekend in Wellington. But the Pistons fell short once again, losing to the Hawke's Bay Hawks in the semi-final, 95–86. Abercrombie pitched in with 17 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists but this was not enough to beat the Hawks. He was again named to the All-Star Five,[7] for the third time in three seasons.

Europe

ASVEL Basket

On 31 March 2014, Abercrombie signed with ASVEL Basket of France for the rest of the 2013–14 LNB Pro A season.[8][9][10] In seven games for ASVEL, he averaged 4.7 points and 2.9 rebounds per game.

Gipuzkoa Basket

On 13 April 2015, Abercrombie signed with Gipuzkoa Basket of Spain for the rest of the 2014–15 ACB season.[11] In six games for Gipuzkoa, he averaged six points and one rebound per game.

Pınar Karşıyaka

On 25 March 2016, Abercrombie signed with Pınar Karşıyaka of Turkey for the rest of the 2015–16 Turkish Basketball Super League season.[12] In 11 games for Karşıyaka, he averaged 10.2 points and 3.7 rebounds per game.

National team career

Abercrombie played for New Zealand in the 2007 World University Games.[13] He went on to represent New Zealand in the 2009 FIBA Oceania Championship, 2010 FIBA World Championship and 2011 FIBA Oceania Championship.[14]

In 2013, Abercrombie took part in mini-camp opportunities with NBA teams such as the San Antonio Spurs, Milwaukee Bucks, Houston Rockets and Dallas Mavericks. He then joined the Phoenix Suns for the 2013 NBA Summer League.[15]

Abercrombie has since played for the Tall Blacks in the 2013 FIBA Oceania Championship, 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup and 2015 FIBA Oceania Championship.[14]

Personal

Abercrombie is studying a Bachelor of Science at Massey University in his spare time.[16] Abercrombie's wife, Monique, gave birth to the couple's first child on January 2, 2016.[17][18]

References

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