Breakers and Tall Blacks star Corey Webster is poised to get his shot at the NBA with an invite to work out for a team ahead of looming training camps.
In a potential good news-bad news scenario for the NBL's champions, the Auckland-based club has confirmed "an exciting opportunity for the shooting guard in relation to his aspirations to play in the NBA".
No further details were available on Friday, with Webster and coach Dean Vickerman scheduled to speak to the media on the situation after practice on Saturday morning.
A Breakers spokesman said "details were still being worked through" but they expected to have further information on Saturday.
The star shooting guard, who was outstanding on the Tall Blacks' recently completed international programme, has been on NBA radars since posting breakout 20-point performances against Turkey and Lithuania at last year's World Cup in Spain.
Since then the 26-year-old has continued to impress, averaging 15.3 points in the Breakers' charge to their fourth NBL title last season, including a more than respectable 42 percent from beyond the arc.
He then followed a short stint playing club ball in Serbia with a standout campaign for the Tall Blacks on their recent tour through Europe and China. He was particularly impressive in the opening game of the Oceania series against the Boomers when he shrugged off some heavy defensive attention to post a slick 20 points
Webster has worked out previously this year for the Indiana Pacers, though it is not thought they are the team he will be headed to.
It is likely he will be part of pre-training camp workouts, with a possibly invitation to attend pre-season preparations should he measure up.
Some media outlets have suggested the Brooklyn Nets, Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets, New Orleans Pelicans and Washington Wizards are the teams most likely to be in need of a shooting guard.
This is not the first time the Breakers have been confronted with a situation like this, with Kirk Penney attending training camp with the San Antonio Spurs in 2010 before eventually being cut.
Penney returned to rejoin the Breakers in the early part of the season and played a major role in the club's first championship.
The Breakers would take a similar approach this time, well aware that a final roster spot in the NBA would remain some way down the track.
"Other guys stepped up then," Vickerman said. "We'd be hoping for the same reaction again. I couldn't see us trying to recruit outside of it if it was only for a short period of time."
Vickerman said youngster Reuben Te Rangi would be the immediate beneficiary of any Webster absence.
"Reubs was outstanding in that series [against the Boomers], and he's shown he's capable of playing four spots in our league. He'd certainly be the one we'd look to."
Webster will miss next week's series against the Sydney Kings, with games in Hamilton on September 9 and Invercargill on September 11. There is also a closed doors game in Auckland on September 13.
