But the sport has been more than just recreation for the new Basketball Otago pathway development manager.
It has been a ticket to the world.
Hopper, 29, grew up on a council estate in Rotherham, England, and there was a coalmine down the end of his street.
It was quite different from Malta where he had a professional playing stint for two years. And very different from his new digs in Dunedin where he has a view of St Clair Beach.
"I went from council estates and coalmines to palm trees and beaches," he said.
After his stint in Malta, he popped up in Denmark.
"That was a radical change in weather."
Cambodia was next on the travel itinerary and he finished his playing career in Ireland.
He was forced into an early retirement due to injury in 2017.
But he switched to coaching and carried on clocking up the frequent flyer miles.
Estonia, Latvia — "places you would never go unless you had a reason to go there", he said.
He got his start in coaching at Leeds City College as a volunteer.
They won the league that year which was a good start, and he was asked to coach the Wales junior girls national team.
Alongside the Wales coaching role, he coached Sheffield College, who enjoyed some success as well.
From there he moved on to an assistant coaching role for the Plymouth City Patriots in the British Basketball League. Late last year he was appointed as the coach of the Northern Ireland senior women’s team but lasted only four months because he took an opportunity to come to Dunedin.
"I came across the job online. I was keen to get travelling again."
Hopper got the gig and arrived in the city at the start of April, right in time for the busy part of the season.
There is still some coaching involved but it is more of an administration and management role."
He is here on a 30-month working visa but can apply for residency after two years and that is his intention "at the minute".
"I’m always open to hearing about different opportunities and whether they would be right for me. But it is now getting to a point where I would like to try be somewhere for quite a while and actually make a lasting impact."
It might be a one-way ticket.
