In this episode, Boucher reflects on his journey to date with host and one-time teammate van Beek.
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He is the all-time leader in most games played in the New Zealand NBL with 409, which was accomplished over 24 seasons. When you talk about service to a sport, Boucher has done it all, from player, to video analyst, to coach, to general manager and is still involved in a number of different capacities. His services to the game of Basketball was recognised in 2014, when he received the honour of becoming a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit.
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At 6’5, Boucher would be the first to admit that he wasn’t the most athletically gifted player but he found a way to be effective on the court in order to gain more minutes. Boucher’s Basketball IQ set him a part from most players, being able to play a range of positions and always seeming to be a step ahead of everyone on the court. Known as a defensive stopper, he often having to guard the best player in the opposition’s team. In 2002, the Tall Blacks shocked the world by coming 4th at the World Championships. Dillon played a key role for the team throughout the tournament and made a number of crucial plays in pressured moments. This epic result, not only put New Zealand on the map as a credible Basketball nation, but also gave the sport the boost it needed around the country, inspiring a generation of future Basketball players. Another one of Dillon’s highlights in his career was being a part of the New Zealand Breakers three-peat ANBL Championship run. Boucher believed the key to the success of that team was the culture of selfless players and the buy-in from everyone to perform their role to the best of their ability.
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One of the hardest things professional sportspeople face is successfully transitioning into a career after retiring, Dillon is an example of how to do it successfully. Coaching seemed like the perfect fit for Boucher with his basketball experience and IQ. But Boucher wanted to widen his skillset and was constantly seeking ways to development himself outside of the game. He slowly became more interested in what was happening off the court and in the New Zealand Breakers offices. This lead to an opportunity in corporate sponsorship and eventually becoming the General Manager of the club. Always trying to find new ways of growing himself in the corporate world, Boucher more recently occupies a number of diverse roles in different industries enjoying controlling his own hours. In this podcast, Dillon gives current athletes some simple advice around what value they bring to the corporate world and some of the harder aspects of transitioning to be aware of.
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