After two years in Melbourne, Tai Wesley is returning to the Breakers to continue his Australian NBL career.

This isn't Andrew Bogut big, but for the Breakers picking up prized free-agent Tai Wesley on a one-year "homecoming" deal fits the bill just nicely.

The Kiwi Australian NBL club desperately needed to add some proven quality to its frontline and, as has been reported previously by Stuff, Wesley was always going to be that man. He had two excellent years with the club from 2014-16, has played previously under new coach Kevin Braswell at Wellington's Saints and is very much a known quantity in terms of his on and off-court qualities.

Wesley was unveiled on Tuesday as the Breakers' marquee off-season signing with new coach Braswell lauding the return of the hard-nosed big man back to this side of the Tasman.

"He is one of the premier big men in the NBL – the sort of player every club would love to have on their books," said Braswell. "His ability to play in the post and also stretch the floor with his perimeter shooting makes him a unique figure and adds so much to our offence. This is a big day in our off-season planning."

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Wesley's record in the Australian NBL speaks for itself. In his two seasons with the Breakers they won their fourth championship and then finished runnerup, and after a disappointing first stint in Melbourne he was a principal figure in the club's first championship when they shaded the Adelaide 36ers in an epic grand final that went the distance last month.

Last season at Melbourne, under former Breakers coach Dean Vickeman, Welsey averaged 11.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.2 blocks on a stacked roister. He shot 50 percent from the floor and 35 from beyond the arc.

But more than the numbers, Wesley excels as a hard-nosed, high-IQ big man who can do whatever is required to get his team over the line.

"This speaks to the championship aspirations of both us as a club, and Tai as a player," added Braswell. "I am excited about the roster we are building and the style of basketball we are going to put on.

"Tai is another piece of our playing jigsaw for the new season. but what a piece he is. There is no question the Breakers just got a whole lot better today."

The 31-year-old, back home in the US for the off-season, said this had been both a "family decision", and also an easy one for him to make.

"It was easy for my wife to say we can leave something that we know is good, to go to something else that we also know is really good," he said.

"I have a very close relationship with Kevin and we talked throughout the process ... I come back a better player, with two more years of experience in the same league which is always important.

"Playing with Kevin previously gives me knowledge of what is to be expected. With the right preparation and a good pre-season, I know this can be the best season I have ever had."

The Breakers are banking on it.

Wesley in the eighth player on contract for next season, alongside Tom Abercrombie, Shea Ili, Alex Pledger, Finn Delany, Jordan Ngatai, Jarrad Weeks and Majok Majok, though Pledger is expected to be released soon to link up with Melbourne United.