South East Melbourne star Ryan Broekhoff has quashed speculation he was planning to retire at season’s end.
And the gun forward says he is a big chance to suit up for the Phoenix in next week’s play-in game as he races the clock to recover from the January 22 adductor injury he suffered against Perth.
There was some suggestion in basketball circles this week the 32-year-old, who is out of contract at season’s end, might have been considering retirement, given his new off-court interest in a Hoops City franchise with fellow former Boomer David Andersen and wife Katie expecting baby No.2.
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“I’ve got no plans to retire,” Broekhoff confirmed to New Corp.
“I do have something going on with Dave Andersen with a Hoops City franchise, but no, I don’t know where this rumour has come from.
“I’m focusing on getting back and finishing the season right now and maybe it’s just because I’m out of contract at the end of the season.
“That might be just what has sparked it all.”
Broekhoff said he’d held preliminary talks with the club about staying on for NBL24 but that was secondary to reaching full fitness for next week’s sudden-death eliminator.
“Both sides were just like ‘let’s go through the season and see how everything goes’ and I’m sure once finals are done and dusted we’ll approach that (his contract),” Broekhoff said.
“That’s the last thing the club or myself want to be focusing on. It’s more ‘let’s worry about getting back on the court, let’s get healthy, let’s help the team’.
“I’m starting to do some running and some different things on the court away from the team and the recovery’s been going pretty well so I’m optimistic and hopeful.”
The 32-year-old is a hugely-popular figure in Melbourne’s south east Heartland but has struggled to consistently stay on the court in his three seasons with the Phoenix.
South East Melbourne boss Tommy Greer said the club was confident of re-signing the former Dallas Maverick in the off-season.
“We absolutely want him back next year and we’re confident of getting something done but we’ll start that conversation at the end of the season,” Greer told News Corp.
“We love him and we feel like he’s been a huge part of our club for the past three years and we want to keep building with him.”
The Phoenix face a weekend of uncertainty as they await the results of Sunday’s Melbourne United and Perth games, which will determine who they will face in next week’s play-in, set to be on either Wednesday or Thursday.
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