During his 16-year basketball career, Tom Abercrombie was known for making a splash every once in a while but in his new rowing adventure, it's the last thing he wants to do.
The recently retired Breakers great is already back in the sporting realms, getting his feet wet via an unlikely path — his university studies.
"I've always been very professional with everything I've done on the basketball court and I wanted to do the same off the court too," Abercrombie told 1News.
"Making sure I was prepared for life after basketball has been a big part of that journey ... it's taken a long time but I've always known that after basketball, it was always going to come with all sorts of challenges and adventures and I'm excited for it but obviously having something like this in the back pocket is really beneficial."
Abercrombie is finishing up his Master of Business Administration post-graduate diploma at the Auckland University of Technology where one of his last papers explores how high performance sport environments can apply in the office.
While basketball isn't the example being used, another of New Zealand's favourites is in rowing.
Programme leader David Harris has been putting his post-grad students in rowing boats since 2011, telling 1News it's an ideal sport as it can bring anyone together regardless of age, gender, athletic prowess or other attributes.
"Some of the principles about working in teams have been around for thousands of years," Harris said.
"The teams that work have put in place the principles that we talk about.
"The principles of creating a high performance team are exactly the same whether you're talking about sport or business."
Harris said Abercrombie isn't the first high-profile athlete to complete the paper either, having previously worked with players from the Warriors as well as rugby players from differing levels.
But despite their different sports, Harris added they all have one thing in common — they lead by example in the classroom and Abercrombie, a four-time NBL champion and 2018 Commonwealth Games bronze medallist, has been no different.
"The experiences that he's had that have worked for him and worked against him, he's brilliant because he brings it straight to the team that he's in."
Abercrombie and his classmates had just four sessions to learn the craft alongside their bookwork before applying it in a 750m race on Auckland's Lake Pupuke this week.
While the 36-year-old knows it's not so much about the result as it is the team-building, he conceded the old competitive fire in him has been quick to reignite.
"The most competition I've had since retiring has been on the golf course so it's good to mix it up a bit!"
His crew finished second best on the day but for those wondering if the little dip may spark an Olympic bid for the men's eight at the 2032 Games in Los Angeles, he's put the rumours to bed quickly.
"First and last mate, that's it, I'm retiring again," he grinned after the race.
"No tears this time but you won't see me in the rowing boat again!"
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