Cooks' bromance with Vodanovich put on hold ahead of Grand Final showdown

Over the past 12 months, Xavier Cooks and Tom Vodanovich have enjoyed great successes on the court together.

From winning the NBL23 Championship with the Sydney Kings to partnering up in the New Zealand Basketball League and helping the Wellington Saints make a deep finals run.

But that combined glory is about to end, as the two good friends go toe-to-toe for the 2022-23 NBL crown - as New Zealand native Vodanovich joined the Breakers in the off-season.

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"It's going to be amazing coming up against Tommy - I love him to death," newly crowned NBL MVP Cooks said.

"Every time we step on the court, we talk a bit of trash to one another and have a lot of fun - I'm excited about it.

"The one thing about Tommy,  he's ultra-competitive and doesn't care that we're friends off the court as he's throwing elbows and doing whatever he needs to help his team when out on the court.

"No matter the result though, we always make time to have a beer after the game."

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Fellow forward Vodanovich, who coincidentally originally joined the Hoops Capital club as an injury replacement player for Cooks, shared similar thoughts about his 'bromance' with Cooks but admits his main focus is helping the New Zealand Breakers win their first NBL title since 2015.

"[At the start] we were being relocated heaps for COVID-19, so we never really spent much time together until he was healthy that year," Vodanovich said.

"After that, we were battling in training talking trash and going at it and I think that competitive nature just started it all.

"There were definitely a few altercations we had at training but all love after the fact.

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"[It all stems from] us both being competitive, having similar interests and both having young kids.

"We have had some great battles - he doesn’t like my physicality and I don’t like how high he can get so we always just have to play to our strengths.

"[Admittedly] It's a little strange [facing Sydney] I must say but I am so grateful for the Kings and what we were able to accomplish last year, but now I'm with the New Zealand Breakers, my home and we’re coming for the trophy."

Game one of the Kings' best-of-five Championship Series against New Zealand tips off on Friday, March 3 at 7:30pm AEDT at Qudos Bank Arena, with tickets available here.