Groves joins the Dragons after three seasons and 95 games with the Wollongong Hawks. He twice represented Wollongong in the playoffs, in 2003 and again in 2006.

“I’m excited, obviously I’m leaving Wollongong after three years which is sad but I’m looking for something new and I’m excited to be a Dragon,” Groves said.

The 28-year-old import ended the 2005-’06 season as the league’s highest point-scorer, was third in MVP voting and was named in both the All-NBL first team and the NBL World All-Stars.

Last season he was ranked fourth in the league for scoring (22.2 points per game), second for assists (5.3 per game) and was named in the All-NBL second side.

Groves said the prospect of an NBL Championship with the Dragons was the major motive for his shift south.

“The way Shane put it to me in terms of his goals for next season sounded really good, and with the players that are already signed I thought the club could accommodate what I have to offer,” he said.

“(Success) was the main objective for me, it’s nothing against the Hawks but we just never got over that hump and I felt like next year we probably wouldn’t get that extra boost we needed and I’m looking to get a Championship.”

Groves, who averages 22 points, 3.2 rebounds, 4.4 assists per game, said he was excited by the Dragons’ potential in season 2007-’08.

“I’m looking forward to the new environment, there’s so much talent in the team with Joe (Ingles) and Shane (Heal),” he said.

“They really shocked me the way they came together last season, I thought they were a really good team and I’m looking forward to the challenge.”

South Dragons coach Shane Heal said the signing of Groves was a major coup for the club.

“I’ve always seen Cortez as probably the most exciting player in the league and he’s somebody that I’ve always enjoyed playing against and somebody I’d pay money to go and watch, so I think to have that sort of excitement and scoring capacity for us is going to be fantastic, not only for the team but also for the fans,” he said.

“The unique and the good thing about Cortez is he’s a great scorer, which he’s proven over the years, but not only that he has the ability to make the people around him better.

“He’s a really good passer and I really wanted to add somebody to the team that was going to have a mentality of making the people around him better. Not only will he score but he’ll be able to get the assist and I think he’ll just fit in.”

Heal said the addition of Groves to the Dragons’ line-up would result in a faster team next season.

“He’s extremely quick, every time we’ve played against him we’ve had to double-team him because he’d just tear you apart otherwise and I think that’s the sort of player we’re looking for,” he said.

“Last year we were probably on the slower side all the way across the court and I think with Luke (Martin) and Cortez and then Joe (Ingles) as well, we’re going to be able to mix up our defence and we’re really going to be quick at the offensive and the defensive ends, so I think that’s a real positive for us.”

Groves’ hunger for an NBL Championship was a key factor in signing the star guard to the club.

“Cortez will play shooting guard and he’ll be somebody that will be looked upon to score for us, but I think even if he’s not scoring he will be a major contributor for us,” Heal said.

“He’s going to be a leader on our team and I know he’s hungry to try to win and that was the basis that we recruited him on, that we’re putting a young team together that has goals of being able to win the Championship.”