The New Zealand Breakers have signed a former NBA player with a tumultuous history as an injury replacement for Scotty Hopson.

Hopson is out indefinitely after splitting a ligament in his knee in his side's win over the Cairns Taipans last Thursday, with Glen Rice Junior - the son of three-time NBA All-Star Glen Rice - the man to replace him.

The 28-year-old shooting guard was a second-round NBA draft pick by the Philadelphia 76ers in 2013, but never played for them, instead taking the court 16 times for the Washington Wizards between 2013 and 2015.

GETTY IMAGES New Zealand Breakers player Scotty Hopson is out indefinitely with a knee injury.

That was his last NBA action, with his career eventually taking him to Dan Shamir's Hapoel Holon team last year, where he was the league leader averaging 24.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.9 steals per game.

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That was until he was released by the team for punching a team-mate in the face, according to multiple reports, the last in a long line of off-the-court incidents.

PHOTOSPORT New Zealand Breakers player Scotty Hopson in action against the Cairns Taipans.

He spent three years at Georgia Tech in college before they let him go in 2012 because of a drink driving charge.

In 2015, he was shot in the leg during a dispute at an Atlanta restaurant, according to multiple reports at the time. After police arrived, they charged him with reckless conduct and marijuana possession.

In 2016, he was arrested on aggravated battery and drug possession charges in Georgia, according to the Washington Post.

In February 2017, he was arrested again on misdemeanour battery charges in Miami after police said he punched a bouncer at a strip club. He received six months of probation and community service, according to online court records.

In August 2018, he signed for a team in the Philippines, but lasted two months before he left the team following an ejection from a game for throwing a ball at an opposition player. He apologised to the team so they would release him from his contract to join Shamir in Israel.

Shamir, who has since taken over at the Breakers, acknowledged Rice's off-the-court discretions in the Breakers' media release on Tuesday night.

"Everyone who knows Glen or can Google his name would see he has had a few incidents in his career but my personal experience with him is his ability to create a winning team and to affect the team in a positive way was way more significant than anything else," Shamir said.

"I am hoping Glen will like it here, I am hoping our team is a great place for players like Glen and for me it's all about us becoming the best team we can be."

Breakers owner and chief executive Matt Walsh said they had done their due diligence on Rice before signing him.

"We know him, I know him probably the most, we took everything into account, and we believe in what he can bring us.

"The stability and underlying values of the Breakers is exactly the environment someone like Glen needs to focus on being the best player he can be.

"This is a unique opportunity for the Breakers and Glen and If we get this right we will be in an incredibly strong position."

Shamir said Rice could make an immediate impact for the Breakers on the court.

"I remember very vividly we put him in the first game after we signed him and immediately everyone on the team realised what he can do for us and his effect on our team as a whole.

"Very quickly we became probably the strongest and most exciting team in the league and I'm definitely hoping he will bring the same thing to the Breakers."

Rice will arrive in Auckland Wednesday and will meet his new Breakers team-mates for the first time in the afternoon.