Hoopsfix Podcast - British Basketball with Sam Neter

For episode 117 of the Hoopsfix Podcast, we sit down with Super League Basketball (SLB) interim Chair and Sheffield Sharks and Hatters new owner Vaughn Millette.Vaughn discussed his journey into British basketball, his role as interim chair of the league, and the challenges faced in revitalising the sport after a tumultuous summer. He shared insights on the business dynamics of the league, the importance of community engagement, and the need for financial stability. Vaughn emphasised the significance of developing British talent and improving facilities to foster growth in the sport. He also highlights the collaborative efforts with the British Basketball Federation and the potential for future expansion and investment in the league.

In episode 115 of the Hoopsfix Podcast, we sit down with Pete Taylor (Chair) and Josh Merrington (GM) of the Milton Keynes Breakers basketball club.Over the past seven years, Breakers have gone from 40 kids to over a 1000, while adding a Senior National League side that has got promoted every year and will be in Division 1 next season. Not only that, but they've built a large fan base - with over 400 travelling to the National Cup Finals in January - and a thriving business, set to turnover more than £500,000 this year.Timestamps:Timestamps:00:00 Intro02:06 Introduction and Background02:42 History of the Club06:34 Impact of COVID-1908:50 Expanding the Club and Community Support11:15 Promoting the Club and Building Relationships14:51 Developing Talent and Player Pathway25:30 Retaining Players and Life After Basketball32:43 Payment Structure and Off-Court Development33:00 Club Budget and Financial Prudence36:44 Generating Revenue and Managing Costs41:30 Grant Funding and Sponsorship46:30 Importance of Digital Presence52:07 Future Growth and Expansion57:05 Facility Development and Expansion59:56 Potential for BBL and WBBL Franchise

For episode 115 of the Hoopsfix Podcast, we sit down with Sevenoaks Suns coach and owner Len Busch.The Suns, one of the most successful WBBL franchises and at the forefront of youth female basketball development pulled out of the top-flight this off-season due to ‘untenable' costs.In this hour long episode we go in depth with Len on the behind the scenes running of the club, and why financially it did not make sense for the Suns to continue.

For episode 114 of the Hoopsfix Podcast, we sit down with Caledonia Gladiators owner Steve Timoney.Timoney and his wife Alison – who also own the Gladiators' WBBL franchise – took over the BBL club just before the start of this season and are self financing the project they consider to be part of their legacy.With a net worth estimated at anywhere between £60 million and £100 million they have lofty ambitions for the club which include a £20million facility project, announced last month.In this hour long episode we speak to Steve about his business background, how he got involved with basketball, and his plans for the franchise which they are aiming to be a powerhouse in British basketball for years to come.Timestamps:00:00 Intro02:42 Interview start03:03 How he first got involved with basketball09:06 Steve's business background12:41 If you want to turn a large fortune into a small fortune buy a sports team16:41 The low hanging fruit to make the business work when Steve took over24:26 Spending £20million on a 6000 seat arena and 5 court training facility31:26 How the £20million is being financed for the facility33:31 How to get a return on the £20million investment36:47 Interactions with 777 and other franchises44:11 We want to be the second biggest league in the world outside of the NBA48:00 The challenges with getting the mainstream media to cover basketball52:53 Building out the front office of the Caledonia Gladiators and the necessary head count56:16 How much Steve is involved operationally at the moment57:46 Can Scotland support another professional basketball franchise?

For episode 113 of the Hoopsfix Podcast we sit down with new Chair of the British Basketball Federation (BBF), Chris Grant.Having been announced in September and officially starting the role in November, Grant joined the organisation following a tumultuous summer for the Great Britain national team programmes, underscored by the men's disastrous showing at EuroBasket.In this little over an hour podcast, we discuss why he took on the role, what the challenges are, and what he is trying to do to change the future of the BBF.Timestamps:00:00 Intro02:45 Interview start03:05 How Chris came across the role and what made him want to take it on03:56 His previous experience and knowledge of basketball06:36 What his perception was of British basketball before getting involved11:12 What are the specific issues that have held the BBF back over the years16:53 The medals debate with regards to individual vs team sports21:18 What Chris is going to do differently to try to unify the sport, and whether or not we should give up on the idea of a BBF with the Home Country Associations29:58 Whether the option for the BBF to disband is completely off the table32:33 Why he hasn't done any interviews since taking the role42:46 What commitment UK Sport has made to the programme moving forward47:20 The terms of the UK Sport funding50:41 The disastrous men's EuroBasket campaign last summer57:05 What the ideal process would be for accountability of the board1:05:33 777's interest in the national teams1:08:04 Whether he could see 777 investing in the national team programme1:09:23 Wether the increased investment in the league will mean the licence fee paid to the BBF will increase1:11:29 How much it costs to run the BBF every year1:14:46 Whether the men will be entered into the FIBA Pre-Olympic Qualifying Tournaments this year

For episode 112 of the Hoopsfix Podcast, we sit down with recently named CEO of the BBL, Aaron Radin.Announced last week as the new face and boss of the league, the American joins the league after a 30-year professional career where he has held senior level positions at a multitude of sports, media and tech organisations such as the NBA, The Walt Disney Company, NBCUniversal and most recently, Meta.He joins the league almost exactly a year since 777 Partners announced a £7million investment into the BBL.In this hour long conversation we go into his vision for the league and his new role, and what his hopes and plans are for the future of the BBL.Timestamps:2:37 Interview start2:53 Aaron background9:13 How the opportunity arose for the BBL CEO role13:39 Working out immediate priorities18:45 What goes into producing a world-class broadcast22:11 How much more investment is required to get the BBL to level desired25:24 The importance of technology and systems26:45 How important a TV broadcast deal is33:03 Where the figure 70% of audience is 13-34 is from36:07 Content versus product38:20 How many staff the BBL office currently has and how many they are trying to get to43:22 Organisational structure and who the CEO reports to44:06 Managing the 777 conflict of interest as owner of London Lions and the league46:07 How many franchises the BBL could support and how many he'd like to see48:26 The biggest drivers of revenue for the business moving forward49:48 Balance between British and American import talent54:03 How to develop fandom in British fans1:01:28 Disparity between franchises and how to minimise its impact1:05:06 How revenue sharing would work1:05:47 What does success look like for the BBLThe show has been approved on iTunes – find it here and please subscribe to automatically receive new episodes straight to your phone/computer/tablet – if you could give us a review/rating it would be much appreciated to help the podcast spread far and wide, meanwhile it is also on Spotify here, Overcast, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts.You can support Hoopsfix's work in helping to grow British basketball on Patreon.

For Episode 111 of the Hoopsfix Podcast, we sit down with Princeton Tiger and unanimous Ivy League Player of the Year, Tosan Evbuomwan.The 21 year old out of Newcastle is fresh off a breakout season with Princeton, and is coming to London next week for the London Basketball Classic to play in front of a home crowd with his college team.The former GB U18 and Hoopsfix All-Star Classic alumnus ended regular season play last season as the Ivy League leader in assists per game (5.0), and assist/turnover ratio (2.2). He ranked second in the conference in field goal percentage (53.2%), fourth in points (15.4), fifth in steals (1.4), and seventh in rebounds (6.4).In this 50 minute episode we discuss his career so far, playing in the London Basketball Classic next week, and his hopes for the future.Timestamps:00:00 Intro03:28 Interview start03:35 Returning to England and playing on home soil04:22 Looking ahead to the London Basketball Classic opener against Army05:03 How important NCAA showcases in the UK are for young British players06:02 Whether Tosan is going to be showing his teammates around06:52 How he first got into basketball08:03 What made him give up football and pursue basketball09:03 How he ended up getting involved with the Newcastle Eagles09:44 When the growth spurt happened10:21 When he started taking the game seriously12:44 Whether has has goals of being a pro and when that became the driver13:30 Who the guys he was looking at as the best in his age group in the UK14:22 Feeling out of his depth at first England U15s camp15:33 His experiences in the EABL17:28 How NBL Division 1 helped his development18:15 How his two summers with the GB U18s in Division A was19:16 Comparing Division A European teams to GB21:07 Frustrations around British basketball24:48 The recruiting process and how he ended up at Princeton27:24 Blowing it in front of Princeton coaching staff on their visit to the UK29:14 What his visit to Princeton was like and being a student-athlete on campus30:50 Dealing with the academy load32:10 His Major, and interest in finance along with work placement33:52 Transition from the UK to the US and difference on the floor35:33 Welcome to America moments36:44 His Sophomore year being cancelled due to COVID40:00 The step up from his Freshman year to his Junior year41:27 His expectations going into the 2021-22 season43:32 What his expectations are for this season45:00 The best British player he's ever played against46:03 Favourite coach he's played for46:29 Favourite basketball memory so far46:46 Most challenging basketball moment47:20 Advice for a young aspiring British player48:06 Where he wants to be five years from now

For Episode 110 of the Hoopsfix Podcast, we sit down with GB all-time great Dan Clark, who announces his retirement from playing professional basketball.The London 2012 Olympian, whose final season has ended up being his only one playing domestically - with the Manchester Giants in the BBL - is fresh off becoming GB men's all-time caps leader during their recent EuroBasket campaign last month, adding to his all-time points, rebounding and blocked shots leader titles.The first British player to sign a junior contract in Europe as a 14 year old, he had a 17 year professional career that saw him amass over 1800 points in the ACB, the top domestic league in the world outside of the NBA, while becoming GB captain as an ever-present force in the squad each summer.In this hour long convo we discuss his decision to retire, what's next, GB's recent EuroBasket campaign, his first season in the BBL, as well as looking back on taking the European pathway as opposed to the US route.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction03:16 Interview start03:26 Why Dan has decided to retire05:11 Whether he thought coming into this season he could retire06:25 What his masters is in06:38 What the next step in his career is07:59 Whether he had the next role lined up before making decision to retire09:07 Whether he's completely stopped playing and working out09:55 How difficult the recent EuroBasket campaign was 13:27 Whether he would get involved with working with the federations18:28 Does grassroots or elite need to be focused on first for basketball's development20:10 Thoughts on the BBL after a full season in it25:33 The impact Lloyd Gardner being Head Coach at Manchester had in bringing him back to the UK 26:46 His assessment of the Giants' season29:15 The situation in Manchester with regards to this off-season and the club's financial troubles30:44 The lack of communication from the Giants 32:56 Why the Giants might be struggling financially34:34 Whether he could see himself owning a BBL franchise36:30 Where the BBL could be better from a player experience perspective39:00 The importance of a player association41:20 Signing a junior contract in Spain as a 14 year old49:06 The intricacies of signing a junior contract51:10 What his schedule looked like as a 14 year old52:40 How it worked with regards to getting paid54:33 Being recruited by high major Division 1 programmes56:34 Turning down the likes of Syracuse to take the European route59:02 Whether he felt the NBA was in reach1:53:05 His ability to pass the ball and where it came from1:03:28 The standout moments from his career1:05:29 His best individual performance1:07:15 Best coach he's played for1:09:34 Whether it was a surprise for him that Spain won EuroBasket1:11:21 His favourite teammate of all time1:12:51 Advice he would give to a young aspiring British basketball player1:14:35 What he wants his legacy to be

For episode 109 of the Hoopsfix Podcast, we do a special with British basketball legend Jo Leedham-Warner, who has announced her retirement from playing professional basketball.An 11-year career that reads like a fairytale, Leedham-Warner is coming off an undefeated season in the WBBL where she was named MVP after returning to play following giving birth.A London 2012 Olympian, EuroCup champion, WNBA draft pick and the NCAA Division 2 all-time leading scorer to name a few, Jo will go down as one of the all-time greats out of the UK and in this hour episode we look at her decision to retire and her final season in the WBBL.Timestamps:00:00 Intro02:46 Making the decision to retire and how she feels about it05:20 Having had a month to reflect on it since the end of the season06:46 How important it was to have done a season after becoming a mother07:52 How difficult it was playing after being a mother10:53 How the club managed having a player with a newborn13:33 The first practices of the season after time off to give birth16:47 How important it was for Jo to finish her career on top18:53 Has Mark or the club tried to persuade her to come back20:06 Not collecting the MVP trophy before the WBBL Final21:30 Jo's mentality and where it comes from25:52 The shock win over her former club Bourges  29:15 Frustration with the wider British public/media and own club not caring about what her and the team were doing33:50 The amount of media that British basketball misses out on from not having a dedicated PR person36:18 The WBBL not bringing Jo out for the final post-game presser at the WBBL Playoff Final37:33 What she would do as the CEO of the WBBL39:59 Deciding on whether to go back to school next to study psychology43:45 Whether she would want to be involved with British basketball from a federation or club standpoint45:36 How many conversations she had with the federations while being back in the UK to capitalise on her presence51:35 What her career highlight is53:19 Favourite coach54:32 How she wants to be looked back on as a player55:05 Advice for the next generation 

With less than 2 weeks until the NBA draft, we sit down with projected lottery pick Jeremy Sochan to discuss how his preparation is going and ask him questions submitted from the fans via our Instagram page.Sochan is set to become the first Brit drafted since Ryan Richards in 2010, and only the second to go in the lottery, following on from Luol Deng. The former MK Trojan and Solent Kestrel left the UK at 16 to attend La Lumiere High School before returning to Europe to play in Germany at OrangeAcademy. From there he signed with Baylor where he has risen draft boards over the course of the season to become a projected lottery pick on June 23rd.In this 15 minute interview we spoke about how the draft process has been and answered questions for Jeremy from fans via our Instagram page.Timestampes:00:00 Intro03:21 Interview start03:45 What the last 8 weeks have been like since declaring04:28 When he knew he was going to declare for the draft05:26 What a typical day looks like for Jeremy at the moment06:30 How is he feeling about it all07:22 His own assessment on his game08:15 Dealing with internet trolls10:09 Biggest thing he's learned from his journey to the draft10:59 Which coach has had the biggest impact on his game11:21 When he was at Itchen did he think he would make the NBA11:43 Best players he played against in England12:24 What colour is he going to dye his hair next12:40 Does he consider himself British, American or Polish13:16 Who he wants to dunk on the most13:29 How many pairs of basketball shoes he owns and favourite brand13:46 Who he would compare his game to in the NBA14:17 Does he remember the MK Trojans14:45 Was going to the Solent Kestrels the right move for him15:13 What is he most excited about15:42 Approaching the financial side of things with NBA money16:29 Would he consider owning an AAU team17:10 What advice he would give to the next young player from the UK

For episode 107 of the Hoopsfix Podcast, we sit down with Lenz Balan, Vice President of 777 Partners and new owners of the BBL and London Lions.Following on from the announcement that 777 have invested £7million into the BBL for a 45% stake (though their ownership of the Lions takes it to 50%), we thought it was necessary to get a look into who is behind the scenes at 777, find out their reasons for investing into British basketball and what their plans are for the league.In this hour and a half podcast we dig deep into how the investment came about, what their learnings have been so far, and the scale of their ambition for British basketball.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction05:01 Interview start05:28 Why did they invest in British basketball?08:42 What 777's assessment is of what has held the game back in the UK so far13:55 How private equity works and how investors will get a return and how long it will take16:45 What the immediate plan looks like for the next 12 months19:50 How important the TV piece is 21:00 The scale of ambition of 777 and how much money is really needed24:10 How 777 have been received in the British basketball community and dealt with politics27:29 The level of collaboration required and involving other stakeholders in the plan29:55 How the investment into the London Lions led to the BBL investment31:29 The percentage stake 777 have in the BBL and how decision making will work now33:34 The similarities between the Australian NBL and the BBL's situation and creating a situation for NBA draft prospects to do a rookie year in the UK 38:04 The BBL's role in developing British talent 40:47 His thoughts on British basketball culture44:14 The GB national team programme 46:14 Whether a strong national team programme is more important than a strong professional league47:40 The London Lions mens teams not playing British players in European competition50:39 Why BBL teams competing in Europe is so important54:30 Is the Euroleague the aspiration with the London Lions?55:49 Whether it's a conflict of interest to own the league and a club in it57:21 What the key cities are the BBL is targeting for new franchises59:19 How many franchises the BBL could realistically support 1:00:43 Would the BBL ever consider promotion and relegation1:02:13 Whether the size of the task ever becomes overwhelming1:03:52 If the investment was to fail, why would it fail1:06:00 What the biggest learnings and surprising things are so far 1:08:30 How to work out which opinions to take seriously and which to disregard1:11:07 The biggest mistakes they've made so far1:14:30 How difficult hiring and finding the right people is 1:17:39 How this BBL investment will impact the WBBL and the women's game1:20:01 How the BBL will look in 10-15 years time if everything goes to plan1:22:23 Facilities and how important the infrastructure around the game is1:24:15 Whether current BBL owners will want to split their franchise equity stakes with other investors1:25:44 What message he would have for fans 1:27:22 Wrap up      

For Episode 106 of the Hoopsfix Podcast we sit down with Jon May and Tom Bennett from the Malvern Hoops campaign, who have recently transformed their local basketball courts.The five year campaign came to an end in August, after the brand new courts at Victoria Park, in Malvern, Worcestershire, were officially opened. Not purely aesthetic, the courts have been resurfaced with new hoops installed, completed with spring loaded rims and fibreglass backboards.In this hour long podcast, we go into the backstory of the Malvern Hoops campaign, how they managed to pull it off and what others who are trying to do the same thing can learn from them.Timecodes:00:00 Introduction2:56 Interview start3:30 Jon May's background08:35 Tom Bennett's background08:45 What made them both decide to take action13:30 Their first steps after being positively received by the council14:20 How confident they were of being able to make it happen18:43 Where to go to find out about land permissions20:02 What is the role in the council responsible for basketball court renovations20:56 What they were looking to do 24:55 The first budget they drew up and the costs they were looking at26:50 What the breakdown of costs were for an estimated £90,000 budget28:10 What makes the Malvern Hoops campaign different to a lot the other art court projects28:57 How they were going to be able to raise the money29:56 How long of a process it is working with councils31:36 The process of trying to raise £5,000 themselves36:55 Deciding to involve netball for a different part of the park to help gain more support40:25 Ensuring you publicise your campaign and getting media coverage42:36 Importance of being able to show a need/desire for the project from the community45:14 Jon and Tom's top 10 tips for anyone trying to their own basketball court project45:43 1) Check the Malvern Hoops website for more details46:13 2) Don't expect it to be easy47:41 3) Get your budget and financials in order49:54 4) Use 2D/3D software to get a mockup of the court project done51:35 5) Be a spokesperson & advocate for your project53:28 6) Get as much help as possible56:04 7) Include costs for security in the project58:11 8) Consider the use of FlexCourt flooring1:01:20 9) Consider putting other sports into the proposal1:02:54 10) Focus on having a big launchThe show has been approved on iTunes – find it here and please subscribe to automatically receive new episodes straight to your phone/computer/tablet – if you could give us a review/rating it would be much appreciated to help the podcast spread far and wide, meanwhile it is also on Spotify here, Overcast, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts.You can support Hoopsfix's work in helping to grow British basketball on Patreon.

For episode 105 of the Hoopsfix podcast, we sit down with England international and nine year pro, Joe Ikhinmwin.In this two hour bumper episode, the former London Lions captain exclusively reveals he is retiring from basketball, with a smooth transition to The Cyber Nerds, the business he set up with three friends to review movies, comics and games which has become a huge success.Starting his basketball career as a 14 year old at East London Royals, he moved on to Barking Abbey basketball academy before attending Seminole State Junior College and then NCAA Division 1 South Carolina State where he turned pro upon graduation.He signed with the Newcastle Eagles in his rookie year before moving to his hometown London Lions where he has remained since, captaining the club for the past 6 seasons whilst winning a Cup, Trophy and League title.We discuss all of that and more in this episode that crosses the intersection of basketball, business, content creation, player welfare, and more.Time stamps:00:00 Intro03:37 Interview start04:00 Joe reveals he is retiring06:50 Why he's decided to retire now09:24 Is Joe still working out to stay in shape?10:48 Whether Joe is 100% of if he could come out of retirement in years to come11:42 The transition to retirement from playing being easier due to his other stuff13:28 Advice for younger players starting their career in the BBL25:00 Whether the level of the BBL is underrated26:54 Minutes and wages for British players in the BBL28:51 The important of continuity of a roster for marketing30:50 Clubs arguing they operate within the rules so signing naturalised British players is fine31:55 Whether his contracts would have been enough to live well off and British players not being paid enough33:55 What he would say to teams that say they don't have the budgets to pay players more39:25 Where is the player union?42:13 How much do players communicate throughout the league? 43:40 If players discuss their contracts with each other50:20 Perception is everything51:55 Joe's early days playing starting at East London Royals56:30 How he ended up going to Barking Abbey1:01:23 Sam's two standout memories of Joe1:03:57 The impact Barking Abbey had on Joe's development as a person1:06:49 Where Joe's work ethic came from1:09:23 Self awareness as a player and why so many players lack it 1:11:27 Whether Joe has been able to have input on systems with teams he plays on1:13:10 The London Lions last season and Joe's evaluation of it1:17:39 Whether the big roster was a source of issues with players having to sit out on rotation1:19:00 How much 777 have changed things internally with the London Lions1:19:55 The impact of COVID last season on the Lions' European run and the Cup Final 1:23:13 The Cyber Nerds and the stuff Joe has going on off the court1:27:37 Whether he started the Cyber Nerds with the intention of it being a business1:28:35 The different revenue streams of the Cyber Nerds1:32:30 How to monetize Hoopsfix, and size of the British basketball market1:47:03 Having almost 100,000 followers on Instagram1:48:29 Whether there is more pressure when posting with a large audience1:50:24 Importance of a personal brand for athletes and whether players with a bigger following will have greater leverage with contracts1:54:14 Marketing advice for the league and teams1:56:44 Favourite basketball memory1:59:50 Favourite coach he's ever played for2:00:08 Best junior player he's ever seen2:01:30 Best individual performance he's ever witnessed2:02:33 His best performance of his career2:05:12 What's next for Joe in the next 3-5 years The show has been approved on iTunes – find it here and please subscribe to automatically receive new episodes straight to your phone/computer/tablet – if you could give us a review/rating it would be much appreciated to help the podcast spread far and wide, meanwhile it is also on Spotify here, Overcast, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts.You can support Hoopsfix's work in helping to grow British basketball on Patreon.

For episode 104 of the Hoopsfix Podcast we sit down with Jay Marriott, CEO of Gloucester Sport, responsible for new WBBL franchise Gloucester Queens and potential BBL franchise Gloucester Kings.A former pro player and Head Coach of the Plymouth Raiders, Marriott was brought in by long-term friend Alex Petheram - 100% owner of the new Gloucester operation - to oversee and manage the basketball side of things, including the WBBL franchise that was recently accepted for this coming season, and a potential BBL franchise for the 2022-23 season.In this hour plus conversation, hear from Jay on how the franchise came to be, what the process has been like, along with their plans for the future in a unique behind the scenes insight into what it is like to get a professional basketball franchise off the ground in the UK.Time codes:00:00 Intro02:22 Podcast start02:30 How did the franchise come to be?05:08 The specific date Jay first heard of the potential franchise06:02 Who the people are involved behind the scenes08:35 The projected costs of having a BBL and WBBL franchise11:01 What is the current BBL franchise fee11:46 What is the value in a BBL franchise, is it a good investment16:14 Whether there are standard operating procedures and documentation you receive as a BBL franchise owner21:24 The timelines for a WBBL and BBL franchise and how they changed26:18 How confident they are of having the BBL franchise accepted in 202228:50 Whether clubs should have to work their way up through the NBL and spend longer building their base before getting a professional franchise34:35 Venues, and where Gloucester will be playing42:14 Biggest surprises so far in the whole process47:48 Visas and the process to be able to get import players51:46 Roster make up with visa limitations52:54 Whether Gloucester have scholarships to offer players56:29 What their expectations are performance wise on the floor1:01:29 Who will be coaching the WBBL franchise1:05:10 Whether the WBBL gets less focus because its the same owners of the BBL clubs1:08:58 Immediate priorities heading into the new season and over the next 18 monthsThe show has been approved on iTunes – find it here and please subscribe to automatically receive new episodes straight to your phone/computer/tablet – if you could give us a review/rating it would be much appreciated to help the podcast spread far and wide, meanwhile it is also on Spotify here, Overcast, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts.You can support Hoopsfix's work in helping to grow British basketball on Patreon.

For episode 103 of the Hoopsfix Podcast, we sit down with former England senior international and BBL pro, Jason Swaine.Swaine, known to be one of the great all-time shooters, picked up 24 caps for England, is a three-time BBL title winner and 12-time National League Division 1 title champion.Starting his professional career with the Sheffield Sharks, he led the BBL in 3-point percentage in his second year, and also played for Chester Jets and Manchester Giants.Eventually signing with Teeside Mohawks, he was a part of one of the most successful teams in national league history as they pulled off the clean sweep treble three times in four years.After choosing to focus on his teaching career in 2004, he continued to play in the lower national leagues (winning Division 3 MVP twice in 2009 and 2010), before retiring from the national league in 2016 but still playing to this day in local leagues and in the masters tournaments.Timestamps:00:00 Intro01:58 Interview start02:10 Swaine's take on the BBL this season in comparison to his playing days05:18 Whether Jason followed the league much prior to this season06:21 The growth of netball and Jason's daughter being a player08:39 Whether it's hard for him to enjoy basketball as a fan09:36 What made Jason first get into basketball11:19 Balancing football and basketball12:32 Curtis Xavier and his impact on Jason15:17 Where are the roles for ex pros in the UK? 16:08 Whether he saw a career in basketball at 1518:02 Swaine's work ethic to become a great shooter20:17 When he became known as a good shooter21:53 Players he looked up to coming up23:13 Access to the NBA in the early 90s24:02 Why he switched from Calderdale to Doncaster25:07 The level of competition in Division 126:46 Other great players of his generation28:00 How the opportunity with the Sheffield Sharks came about30:05 Whether he had a welcome to the pros moment31:45 How much money he could earn as a 19 year old in the BBL33:08 Whether playing in the BBL felt like 'a thing'35:41 To be a professional you need a tax code!36:49 The increase of his role from his rookie year to his second year39:19 The McDonald's Open Championship43:21 Playing Real Madrid being up 17 at the half and losing by 345:24 Making his debut with the England Senior national team at 2147:28 Standout memories with the England team49:16 How good were John Amaechi and Steve Bucknall?50:58 Standout victories with England52:55 Why he left Sheffield Sharks57:15 His half season in Chester58:50 Playing for Manchester Giants in their prime years1:00:19 The level Manchester were operating at compared to other teams 1:01:30 Whether he thinks Manchester can get back to where they were1:03:15 His dominant years with Teeside and why he chose to go D11:05:22 Teeside doing a treble three years out of four1:07:23 What has kept Jason playing for so long1:09:21 Playing with his son Eisley at Bradford in Division 11:12:59 The importance of having family support1:14:33 Standout best British junior players1:15:29 The best British player he has played with or against1:16:20 Best individual performance he has ever witnessed1:17:36 Favourite basketball memory1:18:51 What is in the future for Jason in the next 3-5 years  The show has been approved on iTunes – find it here and please subscribe to automatically receive new episodes straight to your phone/computer/tablet – if you could give us a review/rating it would be much appreciated to help the podcast spread far and wide, meanwhile it is also on Spotify here, Overcast, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts.You can support Hoopsfix's work in helping to grow British basketball on Patreon.

For episode 102 of the Hoopsfix Podcast, we sit down with Warwick Cann, the former Performance Pathways Co-ordinator and National Teams Director for GB and Basketball England.Warwick, an Australian, was hired in 2009, and had a number of different roles through to 2016 focused around performance pathways and the national teams, as he sat between both the BBF and BE.In this little over an hour conversation, we look back on his time in the UK with basketball, what the issues were, and what we can learn from them.Timestamps:00:00 Intro02:48 Interview start02:55 Warwick's background before getting involved with British basketball05:00 The original role he applied for within British basketball07:19 What his plans and expectations were coming into the role09:12 His early impressions of British basketball compared to his expectations12:52 Why there was a gap in coaches' knowledge about the game15:40 The ease of which clubs can get set up in the UK compared to Australia  18:28 The first thing he needed to do in his role and getting buy in23:45 The Regional Institute of Basketball model28:44 Is basketball in the UK made more complicated by having clubs and educational institutions? 31:04 The difficulty of relying on a volunteer workforce39:07 The Areas of Emphasis44:37 The need for a focus on point guard play46:49 Whether it is disappointing the Areas of Emphasis is not used anymore49:04 Did he think the London 2012 Olympics was going to change everything55:36 What he thinks the Olympic legacy was58:16 The politics involved with British Performance Basketball being a separate entity1:05:35 If he could go back, what ]he would  change to ensure there was a London 2012 legacyThe show has been approved on iTunes – find it here and please subscribe to automatically receive new episodes straight to your phone/computer/tablet – if you could give us a review/rating it would be much appreciated to help the podcast spread far and wide, meanwhile it is also on Spotify here, Overcast, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts.You can support Hoopsfix's work in helping to grow British basketball on Patreon.

For episode 101 of the Hoopsfix Podcast we sit down with British coaching trailblazer Tim Lewis.Lewis, who most recently was an advanced scout for the Toronto Raptors, left the UK in 2006 to pursue his coaching dream, starting at CBA in Spain, before returning to set up Essex Pirates in the BBL as a pathway for young British talent.A former junior and senior national team player who went on D1 scholarship to the University of New Hampshire, Lewis has coached at European Championships, Commonwealth Games and at the Olympics.Since then he did time in Germany's pro B with Weissenhorn Japan with Hitachi Sun Rockers, times in the NBA G-League between Bakersfield Jam and Raptors 905, before heading to Thailand, where he also took the helm of their Senior National Team. Time with the Qatar National Team followed, and he is currently surveying for the next opportunity.Timestamps:00:00 Intro02:55 Interview start03:17 Opportunity over money06:43 Whether being single makes pursuing dreams easier08:54 The barriers British coaches face and the perception of British coaches11:26 The need for more professional coaching roles in the BBL15:41 Advice for young coaches who want a career in coaching19:17 What he would do if he was working for the federation to develop coaching23:54 How importance the level of coaching is for the development of the game25:45 Why we haven't seen another pro club try to replicate Essex Pirates efforts to give young British talent meaningful minutes31:19 Could the UK produce a compelling enough offer to keep kids here instead of the US college route33:51 Why the Essex Pirates failed37:37 How much of a personal blow the failure of the Pirates was39:55 Skepticism of being able to run a pro franchise with young British talent41:31 the London 2012 Olympics and lack of British presence on the men's coaching bench48:43 Thoughts on the London 2012 Olympic legacy51:39 What needed to be done differently to ensure a legacy1:01:40 Thoughts on British player talent development over the years1:04:48  What he is currently doing1:06:18 Whether he feels he is close to getting a gig in the NBA1:08:36 Having to start from the bottom again if an NBA gig was to come to fruition1:09:27 The job opportunity in Thailand that gave him financial stability1:12:48 Losing his job in Thailand1:15:15 Reaching different tiers in coaching and being put in different brackets1:18:31 Whether coaches have agents1:19:45 Favourite basketball memory1:21:21 Best British junior player he's ever seen1:22:17 Whether it was obvious certain British guys were going to the NBA 1:23:35 Best individual performance ever witnessed by a British player1:24:28 Other top British coaches 1:26:46 What's in the future for TimThe show has been approved on iTunes – find it here and please subscribe to automatically receive new episodes straight to your phone/computer/tablet – if you could give us a review/rating it would be much appreciated to help the podcast spread far and wide, meanwhile it is also on Spotify here, Overcast, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts.You can support Hoopsfix's work in helping to grow British basketball on Patreon.

For Episode 100 of the Hoopsfix podcast, we do a deep dive into the London 2012 Olympic legacy, interviewing 8 different people who were in and around the British basketball programme.We wanted to do something a little bit different for hitting the century mark and after a suggestion on Twitter from @auld_jethart to look at the Olympic legacy, we jumped on it.There were plans to interview a lot more people - but already reaching just short of 3 hours, we figured release this is as a part one with a potential part two to come with other guests, if people want to see it.The eight people interviewed for this Olympic legacy special were Ron Wuotila, Head of Operations for British Basketball amongst other roles, Dan Clark, current GB co-captain and Olympian, Tim Lewis, GB assistant coach at the London 2012 Olympics, Phil Waghorn, GB Senior Men's Team Manager, Tony Garbelotto, GB assistant coach in the run up to London 2012, Warwick Cann, GB's Pathways Performance Co-Ordinator, Mark Clark, the GB Senior Women's coach from 2006-2009, and Mark Woods, the UK's leading basketball journalist who covered (and continues to cover) GB pre and post London 2012.Timestamps:00:00 Intro03:41 Ron Wuotila19:05 Dan Clark35:37 Tim Lewis51:51 Phil Waghorn1:18:28 Tony Garbelotto1:39:37 Warwick Cann2:00:43 Mark Clark2:24:31 Mark WoodsThe show has been approved on iTunes – find it here and please subscribe to automatically receive new episodes straight to your phone/computer/tablet – if you could give us a review/rating it would be much appreciated to help the podcast spread far and wide, meanwhile it is also on Spotify here, Overcast, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts.You can support Hoopsfix's work in helping to grow British basketball on Patreon.

For Episode 99 of the Hoopsfix Podcast, we sit down with British coaching legend John Collins.Collins, awarded an MBE in 2009 for his services to basketball, has been coaching for over six decades and done it at every level.He was at the helm of Sutton for the first ever National League game, and again when they became the first ever English team to win a game in Europe, coached both the England and Great Britain Senior Women, where he qualified England for the European Championships, was at the helm of the legendary Avon Cosmetics women's programme who dominated the national league for a number of years, and has been instrumental for the development of basketball in Northamptonshire, founding the early stages of Northants Basketball Club in 2000 along with Moulton College basketball academy in 2005.Having also helped set up the Basketball Coaches Association (BCA) with Mark Dunning, Collins has dedicated his life to the sport and been a long-term advocate for the development of the British game.In this 90 minute episode, we look back at John's journey.Note: We had some technical issues, so the episode does end rather abruptly and not in the usual fashion - expect a part 2 at some point! Timestamps:00:00 Intro02:59 Interview start03:15 How John was first introduced to basketball04:35 Whether he fell in love with the game right away05:38 How far he took his own playing before coaching07:34 Royal Albert Hall as a basketball venue09:14 The evolution of the skill level  12:48 Where basketball sat within English culture in the '60s14:54 Where the hotbeds of basketball were in the '60s and '70s18:10 How John's early coaching career progressed20:33 Working out what to teach and how to learn23:30 The role the governing body had to help coaches develop25:44 How the move to Sutton & Crystal Palace happened29:58 Coaching in the first ever National League game and its formation32:42 How basketball had been able to develop from the 60s to 70s 35:09 Whether the national league was being administered by the NGB or the clubs in the early years35:55 Not learning from our mistakes in the past36:44 The important of getting British basketball history accessible and documented39:12 Under-appreciated success stories in British basketball history40:56 British Performance Basketball initially wiping history in the sport's narrative 44:11 What can be done to make the basketball history more accessible46:03 Losing his job with Sutton & Crystal Palace48:00 How important it was to be the first English team to get a win in Europe49:46 How important it is for British clubs to be competing in Europe51:47 Getting involved with Central YMCA 53:38 His first exposure to women's basketball and whether it changed his approach55:02 The progression of his coaching development journey59:34 Why English coaches were so closed in their sharing of tactics1:01:55 Whether English coaches mentality is more open now1:03:17 The founding of the BCA UK1:06:02 His proudest achievements with the BCA1:08:50 The Avon Cosmetics women's programme1:12:44 The level of dominance the Avon Cosmetics team were having1:14:23 The barriers to development of the women's game over the years 1:17:32 The founding of Northants Thunder   The show has been approved on iTunes – find it here and please subscribe to automatically receive new episodes straight to your phone/computer/tablet – if you could give us a review/rating it would be much appreciated to help the podcast spread far and wide, meanwhile it is also on Spotify here, Overcast, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts.You can support Hoopsfix's work in helping to grow British basketball on Patreon.

For Episode 98 of the Hoopsfix Podcast we sit down with Solent Kestrels forward and England and GB Senior international Orlan Jackman.Originally out of Hackney, Jackman started out with the Hackney White Heat before heading to the US to prep school in California. Unable to get the NCAA Division 1 offer he was looking for, he returned to the UK for a season playing for Manchester Magic under Jeff Jones in NBL D1, before heading back to the US to JUCO.He attended Seminole State College - with current London Lion captain Joe Ikhinmwin - before being stung by the NCAA's eligibility rules at NCAA D2 school Newman, and ended up at Oklahoma City University in the NAIA.Turning pro in 2012-13, he signed with his hometown London Lions for his rookie year, and has gone on to a pro career that saw him have success in Germany, a stint in Portugal before returning to play domestically, having played for Worcester Wolves, Newcastle Eagles, Cheshire Phoenix, London City Royals and since the Royals folded, time with Essex Leopards in NBL D1 and now Solent Kestrels.Having always wanted to use basketball as a tool to give back to his community, Jackman has set up his own business coaching younger players to help the next generation.Timestamps:00:00 Intro02:09 Interview start02:44 How Orlan first started playing basketball05:09 Players that Orlan looked up to when first playing06:35 How much natural ability he had versus having to work on his skills07:09 The different competitions he was playing in08:30 Junior career memories09:29 His formative years and the impact of Joe White11:07 When he set his sights on the States14:09 The other talented players of his generation15:08 How the move to the US came about for prep school16:19 The transition to California from London17:46 His numbers in high school18:44 The recruiting process20:17 Playing in Manchester for a year after high school23:21 Returning to the US to JUCO after his year in England26:14 Getting to play with Joe Ikhinmwin at Seminole State27:11 Breaking his foot and becoming aware of eligiblity issues35:19 His crazy dunk at OKC University35:58 Standout memories from college39:45 How he felt about signing in London for his rookie year44:33 Getting called up to the GB Senior Men in the summer of 201356:17 How he felt about returning to the BBL with Worcester after being abroad57:19 Signing with Cheshire and their BBL Cup run1:01:37 His time with the London City Royals1:06:00 His evaluation on the first London City Royals season1:07:40 People rooting against the Royals1:11:14 The communication from ownership when things started getting shaky1:13:49 The players' reaction to knowing the club was folding1:16:45 Signing with Solent this season1:17:56 Solent being so dominant in NBL Division 11:20:11 Playing for friend Matt Guymon1:21:50 How many years playing Orlan has left1:22:34 Almost signing for London Lions this season1:23:48 Signing for Solent despite it being less money than London and a commute away1:24:52 Rooting for the Lions' success1:27:00 His thoughts on the state of British basketball1:30:15 His favourite basketball memory1:31:55 Best coadch he's every played for1:33:16 Best Brtish player he's played with or against1:33:50 Best invidivual performance he's witnessed1:34:58 The future, where he wants to be in the next 3-5 yearsThe show has been approved on iTunes – find it here and please subscribe to automatically receive new episodes straight to your phone/computer/tablet – if you could give us a review/rating it would be much appreciated to help the podcast spread far and wide, meanwhile it is also on Spotify here, Overcast, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts.You can support Hoopsfix's work in helping to grow British basketball on Patreon.

For Episode 97 of the Hoopsfix Podcast we sit down with 3-year pro and Ireland Senior international Taiwo Badmus.Badmus did not start playing until he was 16 years old, under the legendary Mike Cartey in South London, before attending Hackney Community College. After struggling to get to the US, and enrolling at the University of West London, Badmus exploded onto the scene in the summer of 2014 with a strong showing at Midnight Madness, eventually leading to a scholarship to Fairmont State, one of the top NCAA Division 2 programmes in the US.After a season and a half of barely playing, Badmus transferred to UVA Wise for his final two years, putting up crazy numbers as he averaged 20 and 10 to seize the opportunity, turning pro in 2018-19 in Spain, where he led his side Marin to LEB Gold promotion, and has played in Spain's second Division ever since. Timestamps:00:00 Intro03:18 Interview start03:35 How Taiwo first picked up a basketball05:27 What made him move to Ireland as a 5 year old and his history there06:29 Learning the game under Mike Carty in South London08:26 His progression with playing National League10:53 Being under the radar and the moment he felt he had a future in the sport13:54 Blowing up in the summer of 2014 and what he had been doing before going to the US15:49 Doing a year at the University of West London in 2013-14 and how he stayed sharp17:39 Whether he ever questioned whether basketball was the right path for him19:09 The players in London who helped him on his path before heading to the US21:06 The players from around his generation that he was looking up to or going against growing up22:44 What the process was to end up in the US at Fairmont State25:14 Going Division II as opposed to NCAA Division I26:26 The transition of going to the US from the UK28:39 Whether the transition was challenging just athletically/physically or also skill-wise29:45 How long the transition took30:59 Not getting a chance to play a lot at Fairmont State33:14 Memories from Fairmont State35:19 Finding somewhere to transfer to without having played a lot36:37 The transition to a new school in UVA Wise37:37 Putting up crazy numbers at UVA Wise after not playing for 2 seasons39:32 If he still had one eye on turning pro whilst at college40:34 Dropping 38 points on his previous school when they played each other44:16 His standout memories from UVA Wise45:36 The process of turning pro47:32 The options on the table for his rookie year48:44 Transition to pro life from college life51:34 Whether he had to adapt his game for pro life compared to college52:44 The cultural transition to Spain54:33 His rookie season with Marin and earning promotion to LEB Gold57:00 Making the decision to re-sign with Marin for his second year in the pros58:29 The gap between LEB Silver, LEB Gold and the ACB1:00:26 His second season being cut short by COVID-191:02:29 Being back in London for lockdown in the Summer of 20201:04:34 This season with Coruna 1:06:29 Representing the Ireland national team in the summer of 20181:08:36 His thoughts on FIBA 3x3 having played in it and its potential for the future1:10:25 His favourite basketball memory1:11:41 Best British player he's played with or against1:12:14 Best coach he's played for1:12:57 Best individual performance he's ever witnessed1:13:49 Taiwo's future aspirations for the next 3-5 yearsThe show has been approved on iTunes – find it here and please subscribe to automatically receive new episodes straight to your phone/computer/tablet – if you could give us a review/rating it would be much appreciated to help the podcast spread far and wide, meanwhile it is also on Spotify here, Overcast, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts.You can support Hoopsfix's work in helping to grow British basketball on Patreon.

For Episode 96 of the Hoopsfix Podcast, we sit down with Toyotsu Fighting Eagles Nagoya big man, Ben Lawson.The 7'1″ centre originally out of Oaklands College, turned pro in 2017-18 after a four year career at NCAA Division 1 school Western Kentucky University where he finished up as their fourth all-time blocked shots leader, starting his career in Cyprus before making the switch to Japan in 2018-19 where he has remained since.A former England Under-18 and GB Under-20, Lawson played for the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2019 NBA Summer League, and was recently named to the GB Senior Men's squad long list.In this 1 hour and 20 minute interview, we look back on Lawson's journey so far and how he has fought through adversity to carve himself out a pro career.Timestamps:00:00 Intro 02:44 Interview start 03:01 How COVID-19 has affected the leagues in Japan 05:29 Whether COVID-19 impacted his decision to sign in Asia 06:51 How much he is in touch with other British guys overseas 07:54 His inclusion on the GB Senior squad long list and how much that is an aspiration 09:17 Whether his involvement with the GB program will be limited to summer months 10:33 Ben's early years being involve with multiple sports 13:03 How serious about basketball he was when he enrolled at Oaklands 14:27 How much his height played a role into funnelling him into basketball 16:02 Getting to grips with his body and height 17:35 Coming out of nowhere onto the scene and when things started to click 20:23 The talent in the '95 generation and if he ever felt out of his depth 23:14 Being coached by Steve Bucknall with the national team 24:59 Standout memories from playing in Division A with the England U18s 27:10 When the US colleges started recruiting him 29:26 How early he knew he was going to sign with WKU 30:50 Being a true freshman 31:20 The transition from England to WKU 33:15 Whether the biggest thing about the UK to US transition is the physicality & athleticism 34:50 Sticking out all 4 years at WKU 37:37 How much he's thinking about stats at college to be able to turn pro 40:41 The standout memories from college 42:15 How much he goes back to visit WKU now 43:03 Turning pro 44:36 Whether he ever second guessed turning pro 46:42 Whether Cyprus was the only pro offer he had 47:43 Reflections on whether he made it when he was in Cyprus because of the lifestyle 49:16 Knocking down the game winner at the buzzer in the Playoff Semi-Finals in Cyprus 52:35 Whether the offers started coming in after his good year in Cyprus 55:43 Why he thinks the offers didn't come 58:30 Getting two big offers from Japan after a workout in LA 1:01:47 The cultural transition from West to East, playing in Japan 1:05:12 Whether he feels like he has embraced the culture and found a second home in Japan 1:06:29 If he feels like he'll spend a lot of his career in Japan 1:08:10 The level on the floor in Japan and if he feels he is being challenged enough 1:10:58 Playing for Memphis in the NBA Summer League 1:13:23 How close he feels to being able to play in the NBA 1:14:44 Whether he wants to do NBA Summer League again 1:15:47 Turning down a G-League offer to play in Japan 1:18:39 Staying with the same agent since his rookie year 1:19:11 His favourite basketball memory 1:19:37 Best coach he's every played for 1:20:22 Best teammate he's ever had 1:20:33 Best British player he's played with or against 1:21:08 Best individual performance he's ever witnessed 1:21:52 Where he wants to be in the next 3-5 yearsThe show has been approved on iTunes – find it here and please subscribe to automatically receive new episodes straight to your phone/computer/tablet – if you could give us a review/rating it would be much appreciated to help the podcast spread far and wide, meanwhile it is also on Spotify here, Overcast, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts.You can support Hoopsfix's work in helping to grow British basketball on Patreon.

For Episode 95 of the Hoopsfix Podcast we sit down with GB Senior Men's Acting Head Coach Marc Steutel, who has just led the team to EuroBasket 2022 qualification.An assistant with the squad since 2018, Steutel was given the reins of the team for the February 2020 window when the British Basketball Federation became aware Nate Reinking would be unavailable due to his commitments with the Canton Charge.Since then, he has taken the helm through all three windows across the past 12 months, going 4-2, and qualifying for EuroBasket 2022 this past week after a big victory over Germany at the buzzer before defeating France to round out the campaign.In this interview, Steutel reflects on the campaign, discusses being in the position of acting Head Coach, and looks ahead to what is next for the group.Time stamps: 00:00 Intro 03:09 Interview start 03:14 What EuroBasket qualification means for him and the team 06:46 Whether qualification exceeded people's expectations 09:54 Whether qualification exceeded the team's own expectations 11:53 Whether the team bought into the underdog mentality 14:22 How much of a project it is to change the perception of GB basketball 16:49 How much of an advantage the new FIBA qualification system is for GB 19:56 When selecting the squad whether continuity of the squad is taken into account 23:14 If the programme had more funding and resource whether they would do extra camps 26:25 Jacob Round, Kareem Queeley and Cameron Hildreth and having younger guys with the team 29:35 The challenge of balancing minutes and egos 34:00 Being thrust into the role of Head Coach 39:03 Dealing with criticism of the level he has coached at whilst being the GB Head Coach 41:49 Whether he feels vindicated having secured EuroBasket qualification 43:27 Gabe Olaseni coming out in a press conference to stand up for the coaching staff 46:31 How the dynamic has worked with Nate Reinking and the role he is playing 50:19 Whether there's a chance Marc could take the reins of the team for EuroBasket 2022 52:29 How GB were able to turn around a heavy defeat to France into such a resounding victory in Game 2 58:45 The Luke Nelson game winner against Germany and that final possession 1:03:25 GB previously always being close but not quite winning and whether that's changing 1:08:43 The importance of playing home games and the game in Newcastle against Germany 1:14:20 What's next for this GB groupThe show has been approved on iTunes – find it here and please subscribe to automatically receive new episodes straight to your phone/computer/tablet – if you could give us a review/rating it would be much appreciated to help the podcast spread far and wide, meanwhile it is also on Spotify here, Overcast, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts.You can support Hoopsfix's work in helping to grow British basketball on Patreon.

For Episode 94 of the Hoopsfix podcast, we sit down with St Benedicts prep wing and Cal commit, Sam Alajiki.Alajiki left the UK in January of 2020, where he had started the season with Barking Abbey having initially been developed by Kent Crusaders, to attend Beckley Prep in Virginia. After a half season there – which was cancelled due to COVID – he made the switch to St Benedicts in New Jersey, but not before committing to PAC-12 side Cal, becoming the third British-developed player in the Class of 2021 to sign with a high major programme.The 6'7″ small forward with a 7'2″ wingspan and 44 inch max vertical, jumped on the Hoopsfix podcast to discuss his journey so far, being intent on taking the US High School route, and his aspirations for the future.Timestamps:00:00 Intro 03:10 Interview start 03:16 Alajiki's American accent 04:33 Sam's upbringing in Ireland and how he ended up in England 08:07 Making the decision to focus on basketball over football 09:13 Whether the move from Ireland to England was difficult 10:36 The role of Jesse Sazant, Adam Davies on his early stages 11:50 How Sam was difficult as a younger player 12:34 How he matured 13:48 When he started taking basketball seriously 14:17 His involvement with the England U15 development programme 16:00 His initial focus on representing England/GB then that becoming Ireland 17:31 His relationships that are still in Ireland 18:10 His early aspirations in the sport 19:13 Wanting to prove himself to Coach Jesse Sazant 20:06 Sam's physical gifts and matching the skills to them 22:25 Finding his shot and working on his jump shot 23:14 Deciding to make the switch to Barking Abbey for year 12 23:48 Being intent on going to the US 24:54 Why he felt the need to go to the US for HS rather than stay in the UK 26:59 Why his visa was denied in Year 10 27:19 Concerns about his eligibility 27:38 Why choosing to go to Barking Abbey from Canterbury 28:18 Leaving Barking Abbey midway through the season 29:57 Coaches from the US getting in his ear 30:30 Having D1 options in the UK already and still wanting to go to the US 31:36 Whether he has any regrets on the route he took 32:17 If Barking Abbey was the step up he wanted in the UK 33:33 Whether he ever felt out of his depth in the UK 34:43 US High school vs NBL D1 men 37:35 Whether the ultimate allure to the US is exposure and coaches wanting to see prospects against US competition 39:37 The transition to the US from England 42:20 How quickly the college interest came when going to the US 44:06 The Xs and Os in the US compared to England 45:12 2019-20 season being cancelled, staying in the US last summer 46:09 Making the decision to commit to Cal early 46:42 Why he chose Cal, who else he was looking at 47:42 The role he sees himself having at Cal 48:45 Is the goal to be a professional basketball player? 49:01 Choosing a bigger school over a smaller one 50:44 Switching to St Benedicts this season 52:51 Status of their current season 55:03 The impact of COVID-19 on the Class of 2021 57:58 How Cal are anticipating the 2021-22 season being 59:53 Whether he's coming back to the UK this summer 59:29 His NBA aspirations and potential barriers 1:00:57 His favourite basketball memory 1:02:27 Feedback on the Hoopsfix All-Star Classic 1:05:15 best British player he's played with or against 1:06:18 best individual performance he's witnessed 1:07:05 His basketball role models 1:08:50 His goals for the next 3-5 yearsThe show has been approved on iTunes – find it here and please subscribe to automatically receive new episodes straight to your phone/computer/tablet – if you could give us a review/rating it would be much appreciated to help the podcast spread far and wide, meanwhile it is also on Spotify here, Overcast, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts.You can support Hoopsfix's work in helping to grow British basketball on Patreon.

For Episode 93 of the Hoopsfix Podcast, we sit down with Commissioner of the Australian NBL, Jeremy Loeliger.Loeliger has overseen an unprecedented growth period of the NBL across the past 5 years, as the league has gone from on the verge of bankruptcy to one of the most prominent leagues globally with arguably the closest product as a game day experience to the NBA. Click here to enter your details and be notified when we release our in depth case study.In 2015, multi-millionaire Larry Kestleman took a 51% controlling stake in the league (he now owns 94%) for $7million operating capital, and brought on Loeliger as General Manager to oversee the transition. Those 5 years have seen tens of millions of dollars invested, packed out stadiums, free to air tv deals, rafts of sponsorship agreements, franchise valuations go from tens of thousands to multi millions, and the league having become a breeding ground for NBA prospects who do not want to go to college like LaMelo Ball and RJ Hampton through the Next Stars program.There are some remarkable similarities to the BBL's history - both had a 'heyday' in the 90s, before experiencing an extreme lull, both countries do not own their own facilities and arenas, both leagues used to have equal ownership between every franchise (the BBL still does), and both have to battle culturally against bigger national sports. It was hard to get into everything within an hour, but we discussed the progress of the NBL and tried to extract the learnings for the BBL.Timestamps:00:00 Intro04:56  Interview start05:00 History of the NBL and how Larry Kestleman and Jeremy Loeliger came to be involved17:39 How much investment it took to turn things around23:40 The first deals and how much they relied on their relationships27:07 How important the relationship between the federation and the pro league is32:34 The underrated role the Australian Basketball Players Association has played in it37:03 The importance of having home grown talent in the league 41:52 Decision making within the NBL and with the franchises44:21 Teams buy in when they see the success46:03 Whether the league currently owns any of the franchises49:44 The importance of having a centralised marketing plan52:30 How important digital and social has been to the growth of the league in the last 5 years55:30 Whether the NBL is now profitable56:08 How much more room the NBL has for growth57:01 The importance of having people that know both basketball and business58:53 Sign off and positive conversations about British basketballThe show has been approved on iTunes – find it here and please subscribe to automatically receive new episodes straight to your phone/computer/tablet – if you could give us a review/rating it would be much appreciated to help the podcast spread far and wide, meanwhile it is also on Spotify here, Overcast, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts.You can support Hoopsfix's work in helping to grow British basketball on Patreon.

For Episode 92 we sit down with Chris Mayes, Technical Director of BC Triple Threat in Haarlem in Holland.Mayes, who grew up on the South East coast near Worthing, started out playing before turning his eye to coaching between Worthing and Solent Kestrels under the tutelage of the legendary Jimmy GuymonWhilst trying to build his experience at a camp in the US, he was told he would need a degree to be able to permanently relocate across the channel so returned to the UK to take an assistant role with Worthing Thunder, whilst doing an undergraduate degree in Coaching Science at the University of Chichester.However, in late 2004 he was diagnosed with a brain tumour, having to undergo surgery and requiring a period of recovery but it gave him an opportunity to reflect and decide coaching was the path he wanted to pursue seriously.After getting his undergrad, he moved to Worcester for an MSc in Coaching Science whilst assisting with the BBL side, before feeling that for him to progress like he wanted, he would need to leave the UK. He dropped out of his masters and in 2010 took an unpaid job (food and board only) at Canarias Basketball Academy in Spain. After five years at CBA (he did end up taking a salary!) working with some of the top prospects in Europe, he moved on, having now worked in Belgium with Pepinster-Verviers, Liege Basket and Leuven Bears (where he was interim Head Coach for a period), Netherlands (New Heroes Den Bosch), and Spain (CB TerrAlfàs), in roles split between Assistant Coach with the pro side and youth development roles. Mayes has now spent over a decade on the continent in unstable conditions in pursuit of a career in the sport he loves.Timestamps:00:00 Intro02:32 Interview start02:40 The situation with COVID-19 in the Netherlands04:22 Chris' role as Technical Director with BC TTT06:33 The structure of BC TTT09:53 Comparing the levels of junior talent in Holland to the UK12:04 Mayes' first exposure to basketball and why he decided to pursue coaching18:03 Getting his undergrad in coaching science and whether it has helped with his coaching20:22 Why chose not to pursue the US route in the end  23:36 Dropping out of his masters at Worcester24:27 What he was unable to get in the UK which led him to want to go abroad26:54 Why he wanted to go overseas28:56 The process of going abroad and landing a role with CBA32:30 The early years of Canarias Basketball Academy34:07 His roles and responsibilities at Canarias Basketball Academy36:07 How often he was coming back to the UK when at CBA38:21 The realities of day to day life at CBA42:23 Some of the most talented players he worked with 45:46 The Sports Illustrated article in 2016 alleging potential underhanded dealings at CBA 48:47 Why he decided to leave CBA51:05 Moving to Belgium with Pepinster-Verviers52:43 The differences going from elite youth to elite pros56:38 Player development becoming team development 58:48 Whether his focus is around youth development or coaching at pro level1:01:38 Believing development comes from top to bottom 1:08:34 Working with the Armenian national team1:12:42 Moving to rival Belgium club Liege1:14:27 His time with Leuven Bears in Belgium, becoming interim Head Coach1:16:56 The lack of stability in basketball coaching1:20:41 Whether the instability of coaching is sustainable1:23:09 If there is frustration with the British game for not allowing him to be able to develop at home1:28:58 Best British junior player he's ever seen1:30:27 The best coach he's worked with1:31:22 His favourite basketball memory1:32:09 Whether we are going to see a return of Makem Takem podcast1:32:58 Where Mayes wants to be in 3-5 years        The show has been approved on iTunes – find it here and please subscribe to automatically receive new episodes straight to your phone/computer/tablet – if you could give us a review/rating it would be much appreciated to help the podcast spread far and wide, meanwhile it is also on Spotify here, Overcast, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts.You can support Hoopsfix's work in helping to grow British basketball on Patreon.

For Episode 91 of the Hoopsfix Podcast we sit down with Belfast-based Marc Mulholland, the Executive Director & Creative Producer of the Belfast Basketball Classic with Inspirus Sports.Mulholland is a former Irish junior international, and plays a huge role in the Basketball Hall of Fame Belfast Classic - the first NCAA tournament to take place in Europe with the Sport Changes Life Foundation and partner NCAA MAAC Conference and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.He has been embedded in the Irish basketball community for years starting in historic St Gall's Basketball Club in West Belfast, a time at Lisburn Scorpions and Andersonstown Tigers. Having done extensive coaching from development to Team NI Academy level, is now a Basketball Northern Ireland & NI Sport Forum Board Member, and is currently on FIBA's Timeout 2.0 programme, which helps players & former players make the transition into the next phase of their career.With a background in film and media, he released 'House of Hopla', a SCRAM Films documentary about legendary NBA shooting coach Dave Hopla. A story about Belfast , Basketball and Brotherhood, in 2019.Timestamps:00:00 Intro02:41 Interview start03:02 Impact of COVID on basketball in Northern Ireland07:43 How Northern Ireland fits into the British basketball governing body structure11:15 Players in Northern Ireland are able to choose whether to represent Ireland or GB14:28 Basketball culture in Ireland22:50 Whether young players in Ireland are looking to England/Scotland/Wales (incorrectly labelled the 'mainland' by me!) or players more local27:01 The ideation phase of the Belfast Classic and how it came to be40:57 How to finance an event with a budget in the millions53:32 Raising sponsorship requires persistence and patience59:56 British basketball needs to think bigger1:01:12 What's in the future for the Belfast Classic1:06:53 House of Hopla - Marc's documentary about Dave Hopla1:15:52 Distribution options for documentary releases1:21:13 FIBA Timeout Program1:30:07 Potential for a BBL franchise in Belfast1:32:58 Marc's aspirations for the next 3-5 yearsThe show has been approved on iTunes – find it here and please subscribe to automatically receive new episodes straight to your phone/computer/tablet – if you could give us a review/rating it would be much appreciated to help the podcast spread far and wide, meanwhile it is also on Spotify here, Overcast, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts.You can support Hoopsfix's work in helping to grow British basketball on Patreon.

For Episode 89 of the Hoopsfix Podcast we sit down with Great Britain and San Pablo Burgos guard Kareem Queeley.The 2001 born prospect, originally out of Leicester, has been regarded as one of the UK's brightest talents since bursting onto the scene as a 13 year old winning the MiniCopa MVP whilst on trial with Real Madrid.He swiftly signed a multi-year junior contract with Real Madrid, moving to Spain to continue his development - winning a Euroleague ANGT title in the process, whilst representing England and Great Britain at Under-16, Under-18 and Under-20 level.  He departed Real Madrid ahead of the 2019-20 season to sign with another ACB side, San Pablo Burgos, and most recently in October became one of the few Brits to win a club European title as they secured the Basketball Champions League title.Timestamps:00:00 Intro02:14 Interview start02:33 How Kareem first started playing basketball03:28 Living in St Kitts before moving to England04:40 Getting involved with the Leicester Warriors05:24 Whether he feels he had a natural ability for it05:50 How much he could work on his game as a youngster06:11 The progression from there 06:39 When basketball became a serious pursuit07:34 Choosing between football and basketball08:03 What he learnt at Leicester Warriors that set the foundation08:56 When he realised he was pretty good09:15 Some of Kareem's bigger scoring games as a junior  10:02 Weighing up his options as a 13 year old 11:44 Playing in the Junior Final Fours12:28 Playing with teammates who weren't as talented13:30 How the trial with Real Madrid came about15:10 Winning the MVP at the MiniCopa in Spain and the impact mentally16:22 What made him decide to sign with Real Madrid and move to Spain16:55 What the pros and cons were that he was weighing up with deciding to sign in Spain18:06 Signing a 4 year deal (2+2) and making the adjustment to Spain19:21 The quality of the facilities at Real Madrid20:16 How it works with his education in Spain and a typical day in the life21:34 What type of school he attended21:56 The language spoken on the court22:12 The comparisons between what he had in England to Spain basketball-wise23:07 The different competitions he competed in in Spain 23:25 His progression over the 4 years at Real Madrid24:35 The level of competition Real Madrid faced at Junior level25:38 Winning the Euroleague ANGT26:28 Making the decision to not go to college in the US28:42 The highlights from his 4 years with Real Madrid29:28 Representing the England/GB junior national teams and whether there was a difference in his level30:33 Whether coaches in Spain noticed any bad habits31:26 His contract with Real Madrid coming to an end32:28 Beginning the process of finding another team33:19 At what point he became fluent in Spanish33:39 Signing with San Pablo Burgos34:29 Playing for Burgos' feeder team and not their ACB side35:27 Becoming a true 'professional' and getting that first pay cheque 36:03 How he feels about his own development as a player37:01 Whether the club can hold him more accountable now as a pro37:27 The instability  of being a professional basketball player38:16 Dealing with the impact of COVID-19 in 2019-2039:22 Winning the Basketball Champions League41:56 Dealing with not playing as many minutes as he might like42:54 The impact of COVID-19 on the current season44:29 His day to day at the moment45:08 The surprises about pro life46:06 Representing the England/GB junior national teams48:05 What prevents GB from getting top 8 finishes at every age group at Division A level consistently49:09 Other players he rates from his generation50:07 Getting a call up to the GB Seniors52:17 Best coach he's played for52:58 Favourite basketball memory53:37 Favourite teammate53:55 Hardest player he's ever hard to guard54:25 Best individual performance he's ever witnessed54:55 Best British player he's played with or against55:16 What's in the future for Kareem in the next 3-5 yearsThe show has been approved on iTunes – find it here and please subscribe to automatically receive new episodes straight to your phone/computer/tablet – if you could give us a review/rating it would be much appreciated to help the podcast spread far and wide, meanwhile it is also on Spotify here, Overcast, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts.You can support Hoopsfix's work in helping to grow British basketball on Patreon.

For Episode 89 of the Hoopsfix podcast we sit down with Kent Crusaders Director Jesse Sazant.Sazant, originally from Canada, built the foundations of his coaching career and philosophy working under the legendary Dave Smart at Carleton University, before moving to the UK in 2000 to pursue his teaching career.He got involved with Kent Crusaders - then known as East Kent Crusaders - the day he landed in England, before becoming a director 3 years later and taking over the reins of the programme. In the 17 years since, the Crusaders have grown to mini ballers (boys & girls), U12 (boys & girls), U14 (boys & girls), U16 (men), U18 (men) and Senior men's teams, along with two academies.Alongside the Crusaders, Jesse has served Head Coach of the England Under-15 boys development program for 5 years, assisted the England Under-16 men for 4 years, was Chairman of the EABL for 4 years, has coached various South East Regional teams and was a statistician at the London 2012 Olympics.Sazant also served in the competitions group for Basketball England's Basketball Development Model in 2016.In this two hour episode, we discuss the growth of Canadian basketball and the lessons that can be applied to British basketball, along with the birth of the EABL and Basketball England's attempts to change the game through the Basketball Development model and much more.00:00 Intro02:32 Interview start02:58 Jesse's start in basketball in Canada05:23 Who is Dave Smart and his relevance to basketball in Canada06:39 What his takeaways and learnings were from working with Dave Smart11:15 Dave's confrontational demeanour and whether it can be too much13:38 Smart's role as GB U20 Head Coach and what happened with the programme16:53 Whether the young British player mentality is not ready for accountability20:01 Fixing the depth problem within British basketball24:09 If defining club's levels needs to be federation led26:26 Whether the BBL could be taking a lead on the pathway28:38 How Canada develops players and the mixture between clubs and school sides34:50 Canada's rise to prominence as a basketball nation39:41 Coach development in the UK46:43 Why Jesse moved to the UK and his biggest surprises about basketball here52:06 The progression of basketball since he has been here53:52 His intentions around coaching when he moved here56:24 His year with Humph Long at the East London Royals1:00:44 How much of an advantage London or big city clubs have1:02:27 How to prevent players from moving clubs1:05:09 Making the decision to focus on the Crusaders1:06:45 Becoming a director of Kent Crusaders and taking the reins1:08:20 Whether there were aspirations to have a BBL franchise1:09:00 Could Kent support a BBL franchise?1:10:09 Discovering Ryan Richards1:16:50 Whether it was obvious Richards was a potential NBA player1:18:25 If Ryan reached his potential as a player1:21:35 Academy basketball - why academies are important and what role they have to play1:25:25 The different competitions academies were competing in originally1:27:11 The formation of the EABL and where it has come to1:38:32 The decision by Basketball England to move the academy leagues back in-house1:42:11 Easy wins for the academy leagues to improve1:44:43 Basketball England's BDM - Basketball Development Model1:50:58 The scale of the changes the BDM were initially proposing1:53:28 The change of direction the Kent Crusaders decided1:58:36 Favourite coach he's been around1:59:14 Best British junior player he's seen2:00:23 Favourite basketball memory2:01:29 Best individual British basketball performance he's witnessed2:02:23 What's in the future for Jesse and Kent Crusaders in the next 3-5 yearsThe show has been approved on iTunes – find it here and please subscribe to automatically receive new episodes straight to your phone/computer/tablet – if you could give us a review/rating it would be much appreciated to help the podcast spread far and wide, meanwhile it is also on Spotify here, Overcast, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts.You can support Hoopsfix's work in helping to grow British basketball on Patreon.

For Episode 88 of the Hoopsfix Podcast, we sit down with Head of Basketball Operations for Luol Deng, founder of recruitment and scouting service She's Got Next, and assistant coach at Sierra Canyon High School, Steve Vear.Vear, a former England junior international, played the majority of his career in NBL Division 1 with a season in the BBL with Leicester Riders, before making the move into to his own coaching business and working with Deng, heading up the UK arm of the Luol Deng Foundation. As part of that role he oversaw Deng Camp, and the transition into the Deng Camp Top 50 format with rankings in 2014, alongside coaching - he headed up Brixton Topcats' WBBL side, coached London Southbank University, was an assistant with the U16 England Women national team and assisted with City of London Academy's Under-19 women's squad that dominated in 2016-17.Midway through that season, Vear moved to LA to be with his wife, where he currently resides, continues to be the Director of Deng Camp - overseeing their UK, USA and Australia camps, launched She's Got Next, a recruiting and scouting service to help place British females in the US college system, and is an assistant coach with the powerhouse Sierra Canyon High School girls' team.In this bumper three hour episode, we discuss Steve's story and the learnings that can be applied to British basketball.Timestamps:00:00 Intro02:37 Interview start03:19 How Steve first started playing 04:29 Whether playing with his brothers developed his competitiveness05:24 Starting playing at 6 years old and how much of an advantage it is07:59 The level of provision he had as a six year old to play09:45 When it became a serious pursuit13:57 When he thought he could have a professional career16:20 The dominant Ealing Tornadoes junior team led by Steve and Walid Mumuni20:02 The landscape of junior basketball when he was coming up22:39 How good Richard Midgley was 26:24 Luol Deng as a junior 30:48 Rough & Ready and Steve's experiences and memories of it35:59 Rough & Ready being ahead of its time in putting players on a pedestal 37:49 Steve's short stint at High School in the US47:11 Whether he gave up the idea of returning to the US  48:47 Whether he wanted to stay in the UK or planned to play abroad52:24 Whether Steve feels like he reached his potential as a player54:01 What he was able to earn in NBL Division 1 as a player56:40 Playing for Kingston University59:38 Playing in an inter-county tournament for Sussex with Steve Gayle 1:01:19 Beginning the process away from playing after Leicester Riders1:07:38 His first involvement with Deng Camp via Andrea Norton1:13:35 His role as CEO of the Luol Deng Foundation in the UK1:15:59 The progression of Deng Camp to Deng Top 50 Camp1:25:02 The depth of talent in the UK  1:30:46 Advice he would give to a young player not selected for Deng Camp1:37:26  Difference in the mentality between British players and overseas players1:42:50 What would happen if you put Sierra Canyon's teams in the EABL & WEABL 1:45:17 Working with the 2016-17 CoLA girls squad and the program Jackson Gibbons is building1:52:29 Steve's decision to move to LA and leaving British basketball behind1:58:23 She's Got Next - Steve's recruiting service and the comparisons between the US and the UK talent2:05:01 The US pathway as a progression route for young British players2:13:39 Eligibility for British players in the US college system and where players are getting it wrong2:20:56 Whether players needing to go to High School & Prep School is on the decline2:25:55 The biggest surprises about basketball from when he moved to the US2:34:20 What the UK could learn from the US without needing a massive cash infusion2:46:56 Best British junior player he's seen2:47:15 Best coach he's played for2:49:04 No. 1 draft pick from all the of the Deng Camps2:49:44 Favourite basketball memory2:50:28 Best individual performance he has witnessed in British basketball2:51:35 What's in store over the next 3-5 years - South Sudan Basketball FederationThe show has been approved on iTunes – find it here and please subscribe to automatically receive new episodes straight to your phone/computer/tablet – if you could give us a review/rating it would be much appreciated to help the podcast spread far and wide, meanwhile it is also on Spotify here, Overcast, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts.You can support Hoopsfix's work in helping to grow British basketball on Patreon.   

In Episode 87 of the Hoopsfix podcast we sit down with former GB international and 12 year pro Dzaflo Larkai.Larkai retired from playing ahead of the 2019-20 season and made a smooth transition into life after playing as an international NBA scout with the Milwaukee Bucks.'Flo' played professionally for 12 years, spending most of his time in Japan where he won 7 titles, including doing the regular season and playoff double three times consecutively. He also played in Spain and in the UK - suiting up for Mersey Tigers, Leicester Riders, Manchester Giants and London Lions where he won a Cup and League title.More recently, he has joined Luol Deng's coaching staff for the South Sudan national team as an assistant in their continental qualifiers.Since COVID-19 hit, Larkai's contract with the Bucks has been paused and he is currently waiting to see how it plays out but remains hopeful he will be brought back on board.Timestamps:00:00 Intro02:26 Interview start03:03 Making the transitioning from playing into his next career11:27 How a role with an NBA team as a scout comes to fruition17:18 What scouts are looking for and the red flags22:55 The level of talent in Africa and how far we are from African ball becoming a powerhouse27:58 The difference in young players from Africa compared to young British players30:30 What made Flo first start playing the game34:32 The three versions of Flo that exist that help him make decisions41:13 Forgetting basketball players are humans43:37 Becoming self aware45:54 Starting out at Chessington Wildcats52:57 How Brixton Topcats cultivated that family feel and loyalty within the club55:24 The landscape of junior basketbal and who the talents were of his generation58:43 How the move to the US for prep school came about1:03:22 Turning down D1 offers to go to Prep School1:06:27 Playing with Rasheed Quadri at La Salle1:07:49 Redshirting his first year at La Salle due to injury1:10:45 Playing in his Redshirt Freshman year1:14:39 Whether the transition to college basketball was easier than he expected1:17:55 His memories of Rough & Ready1:20:47 His sexual assault case at college that led to his departure from La Salle1:32:03 Transferring to Bellarmine and how the case changed him1:37:33 Turning pro and signing in Spain1:43:25 Ending up playing in Japan1:48:52 Whether he knew he was going to end up longer term in Japan1:50:57 What sort of money you could earn in Japan1:52:01 Managing your finances whilst being a pro basketball player1:57:15 What his younger and older self would say to him nowThe show has been approved on iTunes – find it here and please subscribe to automatically receive new episodes straight to your phone/computer/tablet – if you could give us a review/rating it would be much appreciated to help the podcast spread far and wide, meanwhile it is also on Spotify here, Overcast, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts.You can support Hoopsfix's work in helping to grow British basketball on Patreon.

For Episode 86 of the Hoopsfix Podcast, we sit down with Jamie Edwards, former England international and now heading up the new Manchester Giants project.After almost a decade of dwelling near or at the bottom of the league table, in February of 2020, Manchester Giants saw new ownership led by Edwards, and have started this season as a new-look outfit, with a competitive roster, new home venue and re-brand.Edwards grew up playing for Oldham Celtics before making the move to Manchester United and was taken under his wing by the legendary Alton Byrd, who remains a mentor to this day. After going to the US for High School (at Byrd's former school), he returned to the UK where he had a 5 year career in the BBL before getting into running basketball camps and clinics, ultimately leading to the creation of NBA Mad Skills, a nationwide tour of 16 cities and towns which saw him featured on Channel 4 with Scoop Jackson.Edwards was involved in two unsuccessful attempts at buying the Giants franchise in the late 90s, before setting up Trained Brain in 2000, where he does peak performance coaching with elite athletes and people.Timestamps:00:00 Intro02:49 Interview start03:51 How Jamie started playing basketball06:28 The Manchester United basketball programme10:12 How juniors used to all play before the seniors to encourage the club links13:31 Playing at Royal Albert Hall 17:30 Being mentored by Alton Byrd 19:32 The similarities in their position and height meaning Byrd took a liking to him22:39 Jamie went to the same High School Alton did25:51 Choosing not to play college ball27:16 Returning to the UK to play at Chester30:30 The length of Jamie's pro career31:56 Why he chose to retire from playing35:11 Working camps and setting up the NBA Mad Skills nationwide tour37:24 The first attempts at buying the Manchester Giants in the late 90s41:09 What was it that motivated him to want to own a BBL franchise44:03 The years he attempted to buy the franchise44:29 What stopped it from happening44:43 The franchise being valued higher in those times45:15 Whether he has been biding his time over the last 20 years to get the franchise47:38 How transferring ownership of a franchise works49:31 How many other people are involved with the ownership of the club50:31 Where the funding for the club is coming from51:05 How the reality of running a BBL club compares to his expectations52:53 Assessing the state of Manchester basketball59:28 Moving into the National Basketball Performance Centre1:02:41 The importance of knowing the history to be able to build for the future1:05:32 The release of Callum Jones from the club 1:08:06 The balance of home grown development with winning at the BBL level1:10:53 Getting tangible minutes for young British players and whether the focus is on players from the North West1:14:40 What Jamie's day to day looks like1:16:57 Looking to the future of the Giants1:22:34 Whether it's a good look for players to have to have another job whilst in the BBLThe show has been approved on iTunes – find it here and please subscribe to automatically receive new episodes straight to your phone/computer/tablet – if you could give us a review/rating it would be much appreciated to help the podcast spread far and wide, meanwhile it is also on Spotify here, Overcast, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts.You can support Hoopsfix's work in helping to grow British basketball on Patreon.

For Episode 85 of the Hoopsfix podcast, we sit down with first year pro and GB Senior international Akwasi Yeboah.Currently plying his trade with Saint Quentin in France's Pro B for his rookie year, Yeboah is coming off a hugely successful college career, where he played at Stony Brook before becoming a grad-transfer to Rutgers.He is one of the few Brits to score over 1600 points during his college career, made multiple-all conference teams, and also led the 2017 GB Under-20 side to Division A promotion whilst earning All-Star five honours.Yeboah was part of the 'comeback kids' Barking Abbey side that won the 2015 NBL Division 1 Men's title with a squad that consisted of just one player over 19.Due to COVID-19, Yeboah missed out on his opportunity to play in the 2020 NCAA Tournament (which was cancelled) and subsequently increase his 'stock' for the pros, and has navigated turning pro during a challenging time for basketball globally.In this 1 hour and 20 minute pod we discuss Akwasi's journey so far and how he is finding pro life.Time stamps:00:00 Intro02:37 Interview start03:01 Transitioning to pro life04:03 Whether there is more pressure now he's a pro04:40 How COVID-19 has affected the basketball in France07:24 The lockdown in France and how it's impacting the league08:46 Whether COVID-19 impacted the decision on where he signed10:43 How COVID-19 has impacted Akwasi's opportunities12:05 What it felt like to sign his rookie contract13:21 Whether there are any surprises about being a pro basketball player14:52 What Akwasi does with his down time15:26 What a day in the life looks like16:58 How his French is coming on17:33 Akwasi's early years in Ghana and why he moved to the UK aged 919:18 Getting punished with a cain in Ghana21:20 How much his brother Kwame influenced his playing23:16 Playing for London Spartans, Brentwood Fire and NASSA24:04 The stacked NASSA junior side that were a year up from Akwasi26:06 Now playing on the GB Senior squad with guys he looked up26:39 His first junior national team experience27:17 Not getting selected for the England Under-18s28:15 The point he realised he could be a professional player29:38 His first year at Barking Abbey and transitioning to an academy30:56 The jump in his development from his first year to second year at BA32:32 The group he was with at BA and how much that pushed him34:02 The NBL Division 1 run with BA and getting his only D1 scholarship offer at the back of it37:22 Whether he always maintained the faith he could play at NCAA Division 1 level38:20 If there was any hesitation to sign with Stony Brook immediately38:48 The herd mentality when it comes to recruiting 39:25 The transition to the US40:06 Putting on weight in his Freshman year40:43 The decision to redshirt his first year at Stony Brook42:19 The team making the NCAA tournament in his redshirt year43:57 Whether the level of provision and facilities at D1 schools become normalised after a period of time45:31 Whether college sports in the states has a higher level of provision than the pros46:19 If redshirting made it hard to know whether his skills would transfer to games48:04 The coach that recruited him leaving after his redshirt year50:13 Hitting the rookie wall in his Freshman year51:06 Not having the option to transfer even if he wanted to51:48  Being named All-Rookie conference team in his Freshman year52:37 His year by year progress in his college career53:42 Looking back on his 3 years at Stony Brook and the standout memories55:42 When he started thinking about the pros56:26 Whether being a grad-transfer and getting his masters was in his head when he initially redshirted57:20 When he knew he was going to transfer58:04 The recruiting process from schools to be a grad-transfer59:29 Whether he always knew Rutgers were going to be the likely choice1:00:30 The differences between mid-major and high-major level at college1:01:40 Whether anyone ever torched him in the Big 101:02:16 The best player he personally guarded1:02:59 Playing against NBA talent and seeing it up close1:03:54 His season at Rutgers1:05:58 The difference between Rutgers and Stony Brook off court1:07:03 Missing out on the NCAA tournament and being nationally ranked1:08:15 Playing for Junior national team and whether it helps with his development1:09:15 Whether having knowledge of the international game gives him an edge in college1:10:06 Deciding which agent to sign for when it came to turning pro1:12:06 How he is approaching his rookie year1:13:11 Whether playing in the BBL is on his radar at all1:15:05 Best British junior player he's seen1:16:29 Best coach he's played for1:17:18 His favourite basketball memory1:17:42 Where he wants to be in the next 3-5 yearsThe show has been approved on iTunes – find it here and please subscribe to automatically receive new episodes straight to your phone/computer/tablet – if you could give us a review/rating it would be much appreciated to help the podcast spread far and wide, meanwhile it is also on Spotify here, Overcast, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts.You can support Hoopsfix's work in helping to grow British basketball on Patreon.

For Episode 84 of the Hoopsfix Podcast we sit down with Worcester Wolves Head Coach Matt Newby.Having been coaching for over 21 years, Newby, is one of the few coaches to have won titles at NBL Division 4, Division 3, Division 2, Division 1 and BBL levels following his BBL Cup title in January with Worcester. He has won no less than 14 national titles across Senior competitions, from National League, to BUCS and the BBL.He built a programme from the bottom up, taking the Leeds Carnegie programme from the lower rungs of the national leagues through to a BBL franchise, the Leeds Force, which was in the top flight from 2014-2018.Coach Newby had a difficult departure from the Force, and after two years out from the pros returned last season at the helm of the Worcester Wolves.In this 1 hour and 40 minute podcast, we go into his new life at Worcester, dissect the journey of Leeds Carnegie through the national leagues to the BBL and look at the role of educational institutions like universities and their role within British basketball.Time stamps:00:00 Intro3:03 Interview start3:07 How he sees this season going with COVID4:01 Whether Worcester are in a better situation than some clubs because of the university partnership5:12 Worcester's roster this season and where the imports are6:12 Whether he's surprised with how well Worcester have been competing without their imports7:14 Transitioning from Leeds to Worcester9:01 The differences between his role in Leeds and Worcester11:46 Reflecting on his cup title with Worcester13:21 How high he would put the Cup title on his resumé15:07 Matching up with Andreas in the Cup Final, his old NBL rival16:51 How much of a blow it was for Worcester that the season was cut short due to COVID18:26 His start in basketball and made him first get involved26:35 Going to the US for 8-10 years every Summer28:15 Covering his costs to go to the US29:10 What the US was doing for his coaching development that he wasn't getting in the UK31:40 Whether young coaches now have more resource to improve their coaching33:53 You've got to pay your dues to get a head coaching role36:17 The importance of man-management and not just XS and Os38:34 When recruiting a player how important is the connection the coach has with them41:00 His involvement with York Vikings41:44 Whether he was full time coaching from the moment he left uni42:41 Implementing a scaled out schools coaching program44:34 His coaching role with the council45:43 How he first got involved with Leeds Met university48:29 Why a university looks at sport and wants to focus on it50:22 The timelines and aspirations of the plan for the university programme52:18 The success of the programme through the national league and why it worked56:11 The double-edged sword of being backed by a university58:42 How BUCS and university basketball has changed over the last decade or so1:02:53 How much of an opportunity BUCS basketball has to be a bigger part of the British basketball ecosystem1:06:12 How the BBL opportunity in Leeds first arose1:08:01 Losing the university backing of the BBL franchise shortly before the entry into the league1:09:40 Why the decided to push forward with the franchise despite losing the full backing of the university1:11:00 Whether he would advise himself back then not to enter the BBL1:12:22 Picking up 9 wins in his first BBL season and whether that exceeded expectations1:14:14 The differences between running an NBL Division 1 program and a BBL franchise1:15:48 Whether he thinks the BBL franchise committee should have not let Leeds enter1:16:27 Making the playoffs in Leeds' second BBL season 1:18:42 The resources Leeds had in comparison to other BBL franchises1:19:41 His final year with the club before departing1:20:51 What ultimately led to the breakdown of the club1:22:33 How hard it was having to leave the club he helped build up from the bottom1:24:53 Whether he wanted to have another crack at a BBL franchise in Leeds after they withdrew from the league1:26:18 What he was doing during his two years out from the pros1:27:06 His thoughts when he was saw the Worcester position advertised1:28:16 The lack of stability around coaching roles1:29:22 best British junior player he's ever seen1:31:07 Favourite player he's coached1:32:21 His coaching role models and inspirations1:34:47 Favourite basketball memory1:34:24 Where he wants to be in 3-5 yearsThe show has been approved on iTunes – find it here and please subscribe to automatically receive new episodes straight to your phone/computer/tablet – if you could give us a review/rating it would be much appreciated to help the podcast spread far and wide, meanwhile it is also on Spotify here, Overcast, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts.You can support Hoopsfix's work in helping to grow British basketball on Patreon.

In episode 83 of the Hoopsfix podcast we sit down with founder and Director of City of Birmingham Rockets, Rob Palmer.Having originally founded a local league club in the West Midlands in 1988, Palmer also headed up the Birmingham Bullets' junior development programme from 1993-2000, before leaving his job in banking to pursue his basketball interests, initially working with Birmingham City Council as their Active Sports Basketball Co-ordinator.He founded the City of Birmingham Rockets in 2003 whilst in his basketball development role, and has grown the club to 13 teams from under-9 through to Seniors. In 2015, Palmer recruited NBA Hall of Famer Hakeem Olajuwon as an ambassador of the club, after he relocated to Birmingham for his daughter's university education.It was revealed last month that City of Birmingham Rockets have secured in excess of six figures of funding from 2K Foundations for the refurb of their venue at Nechells Wellbeing Centre.In this episode hear from Rob on his background, building the club, the funding they have secured from 2K Foundations and the involvement of Hakeem Olajuwon in their programme.Timestamps:00:00 Intro2:30 Interview start2:36 What the 2K investment means for the club and what the outcomes will be6:13 How long these projects take and when the Nechells refurb will be finished8:12 Where the money is being invested into10:11 The seating capacity for the refurb10:58 Whether City of Birmingham could fill a 500 seat venue11:50 Do the City of Birmingham Rockets have BBL aspirations?13:16 How far conversations have gone with the league around a BBL franchise14:05 2k funding for stuff external to the venue15:58 Whether the funding is based over long term or not16:40 How big the investment is from 2K17:41 Commercial sponsors being interested in london and why 2K are interested in Birmingham19:16 How Hakeem Olajuwon came to be involved with the club in 201524:03 Hakeem Olajuwon has actually moved to the UK25:15 What difference it makes to the club having Olajuwon associated with it27:40 Rebranding to the Rockets due to Hakeem's involvement28:50 Rob's background prior to founding City of Birmingham basketball club44:55 Recruiting players and raising awareness of the initial CVL48:42 How the club was able to grow so quickly in the first two seasons and whether it was too quick49:45 Growing pains going from 1 teams to multiple within 2 seasons54:36 Being able to double up on the club through his basketball development role with the council57:01 When Rob was able to go full time on the club1:00:52 Going full time and what difference it had on the club's growth1:05:39 What the club's revenue streams are1:09:27 Breaking down the percentages of club revenue1:11:11 How many full time employees the club has1:12:47 How much scope there is for the club to grow in Birmingham1:15:29 What impact the Commonwealth Games could have in BirminghamThe show has been approved on iTunes – find it here and please subscribe to automatically receive new episodes straight to your phone/computer/tablet – if you could give us a review/rating it would be much appreciated to help the podcast spread far and wide, meanwhile it is also on Spotify here, Overcast, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts.You can support Hoopsfix's work in helping to grow British basketball on Patreon.

For Episode 82 of the Hoopsfix Podcast we sit down with former GB Senior international and more than decade-long pro Olu Babalola.Olu, who retired in 2016, is one of the most physically dominant and talented junior players to come out of the UK, coming through the great late Joe White's programme before having an esteemed high school career at St Augustine's Prep where he made multiple All-State teams whilst winning State titles, and scoring more than 1000 points.The 6'6" 260lbs (!) wing was recruited heavily, ultimately choosing to go to Clemson where he was a three year starter and one of the best defenders in the ACC. Turning pro in 2005, he started his career in Italy and Sweden before returning to the UK where he spent the majority of his career in the BBL, winning 9 titles whilst also receiving a couple of call up to the GB Senior Men's squad in the run up to 2012.A passionate chef, he is now based in Sheffield, and runs The Wing Kings, a chicken wing company serving Yorkshire.Timestamps:00:00 Intro02:12 Interview start02:32 Starting Wing Kings, his catering company he transitioning into after basketball06:03 How he first got into basketball14:48 Whether he had natural raw talent or it was something he had to work at16:22 Where his size comes from, being 6'6" 296 at 17 years old18:02 If he lifted weights18:48 Being the strongest despite not lifting19:38 The impact Joe White had on his life22:33 Why players sought Joe White's approval25:34 Top players of his generation he played with and against28:28 How his move to the States happened and how good Dajuan Wagner was31:18 The transition to the US31:58 How good Drew Sullivan was in High School33:59 How college turned Drew and Olu into defenders potentially taking away from their offensive game37:00 Some of the future NBA players Olu was guarding at college38:36 Going to high school with both Andrew Sullivan and Pops Mensah-Bonsu42:03 A crazy story from Pops at a 7/11 in Jersey43:51 The recruitment process and being chased by almost every program in the US46:00 False rumours that he had committed to Villanova48:36 His tough freshman year at Clemson and wanting to leave52:30 The two players who left Clemson that opened up minutes for him54:49 How confidence he was he could make the NBA56:10 His standout memories from Clemson1:00:44 His 22, 7 and 5 game vs Virginia1:01:13 Whether there is footage floating around of his college career1:01:53 Playing for the American football team at Clemson after his Senior year1:07:11 The transition to being a pro and his rookie year1:14:01 Leaving Italy for Sweden1:16:55 Why he played in the BBL for the majority of his career1:18:48 Basketball players being humans and having to take other factors into account in their decisions1:26:38 Whether he feels the BBL has progressed and the need for a player's union1:29:02 Players still playing in the BBL and barely getting paid1:30:34 National team and why he didn't feature more heavily for GB1:33:42 His favourite basketball teammate1:34:05 Best coach he has ever played for1:34:59 Best British junior player he's ever seen1:35:17 Best player he's played against1:35:48 Standout basketball memory from his career1:36:42 What he wants his legacy to beThe show has been approved on iTunes – find it here and please subscribe to automatically receive new episodes straight to your phone/computer/tablet – if you could give us a review/rating it would be much appreciated to help the podcast spread far and wide, meanwhile it is also on Spotify here, Overcast, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts.You can support Hoopsfix's work in helping to grow British basketball on Patreon.

In Episode 81 of the Hoopsfix Podcast, we sit down with James Merchant, founder and director of the Richmond Knights.Founded in 2009, the Knights have taken a steady, sustainable approach to growth, starting with taster sessions in schools, working their way up from friendly games to central venue league (CVL) competitions, and not entering their first team into national league until four years later.Now, 11 years later, the programme boasts over 1000 participants across 32 different primary schools, 9secondary schools, with 21 teams across the club from Under-10s to Senior, including 9 competing in the NBL, and have had 9 players selected to national team programmes.Perhaps more impressively, there are 9 core coaches that are able to earn the majority of their living from the programme.In this 1 hour, 10 minute episode we go into the founding of the club, the process of scaling it and the aspirations for the future.Time stamps:00:00 Intro03:18 Interview start04:35 James playing background15:55 Knowing you could make being a full time club coach work20:20 Focusing on getting players playing younger26:17 How to get the first ever session for your club and scaling it from there33:06 The incentive from the school's perspective to provide basketball35:13 The compounding effect of having a track record36:48 How much room for growth there is in Richmond for the Knights39:03 What would happen if he hit 100% saturation of every school in the borough41:28 Where he sends his players on from Richmond Knights43:20 Whether he has long term aspirations for an EABL academy and owning the entire pathway46:41 If he has aspirations for a BBL franchise47:55 The senior side of the programme being more of a drain than the juniors48:59 The juniors playing up in the senior team50:57 Whether the BBL would become more attractive if he had investors and the right operators54:05 If the success of Richmond Knights can be partly attributed to the affluence of the area58:27 The different revenue streams of the club1:01:57 Whether he's had conversations with potential commercial partners1:03:28 The scale of how big the Richmond Knights are financially1:07:24 What he envisions for the future of the Richmond Knights over the next 3-5 yearsThe show has been approved on iTunes – find it here and please subscribe to automatically receive new episodes straight to your phone/computer/tablet – if you could give us a review/rating it would be much appreciated to help the podcast spread far and wide, meanwhile it is also on Spotify here, Overcast, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts.You can support Hoopsfix's work in helping to grow British basketball on Patreon.

For Episode 80 of the Hoopsfix Podcast we sit down with Caroline Charles, founder and owner of the Newham Youngbloods basketball club.Charles founded the Youngbloods in 1992 and for almost three decades has provided an outlet for young basketball players in one of the most deprived boroughs in the country.Caroline has been responsible for thousands of players getting their start in basketball, having fielded Youngbloods teams for both boys and girls through u14s to u18s, as well as coaching the Newham London Youth Games squad for 25 years.Having been mentored by the likes of legendary grassroots coaches Humph Long, Jimmy Rogers, and Joe White, she has received an award from the Mayor of London for services to youth basketball, and led Youngbloods teams to multiple Final Fours appearances, as well as winning the U16 Girls National Cup this past season.Time stamps:00:00 Intro02:15 Interview start02:33 What made Caroline first get into basketball05:55 Her progression as a player and transitioning into coaching10:17 Where the name Newham Youngbloods came from13:31 What was the motivation to start her own club20:03 The influence of Jimmy Rogers, Joe White and Humphrey Long on her journey24:26 How she approaches working with a new young player who comes to the club29:07 The current Newham Youngbloods structure in terms of teams30:34 Whether she's considered setting up an academy33:02 Basketball as a tool for a social impact38:32 the London 2012 Olympic legacy45:47 Being involved with the London 2012 Olympic bid50:01 If she was given a blank cheque for the club what she would do with it54:00 The Youngbloods partnership with the London Lions57:28 If the Lions new ownership changed anything with the partnership59:20 The state of female basketball in England01:03:12 Why less females are into basketball than males01:06:48 If she was in charge of increasing female participation what she would do01:10:18 Whether Newham could support more clubs01:13:21 Favourite basketball memory from playing and coaching01:14:52 The best player Newham Youngbloods has produced01:17:40 The best coach she's played or worked with01:19:04 Advice for someone who wanted to set up a community club01:21:03 The future of the Newham Youngbloods01:24:05 What she wants her personal legacy to beThe show has been approved on iTunes – find it here and please subscribe to automatically receive new episodes straight to your phone/computer/tablet – if you could give us a review/rating it would be much appreciated to help the podcast spread far and wide, meanwhile it is also on Spotify here, Overcast, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts.You can support Hoopsfix's work in helping to grow British basketball on Patreon.

In Episode 79 of the Hoopsfix Podcast, we sit down with one of the most highly regarded UK prospects, 2003 born and Class of 2021's Jeremy Sochan.The former Solent Kestrel departed the UK ahead of the 2019-20 season to head to powerhouse high school La Lumiere in Indiana, drawing attention and being ranked as high as in the forties by national ranking outlets, before returning to Europe this year and signing with OrangeAcademy - the feeder team of ratiopharm Ulm in Germany.Sochan - who has both Polish and American passports but was raised in the UK - ultimately ended up representing Poland in international competition, having suited up for the Under-16s in 2018 and 2019, leading them to Division A promotion last year whilst picking up the Division B European Championship MVP.The 6'8" wing committed to NCAA Division 1 powerhouse Baylor this off-season, having just impressed in his German Pro-B debut this past weekend.Time stamps:00:00 Intro02:29 Beginning of interview03:02 How he first picked up a ball05:10 His parents basketball background06:01 Memories of watching his dad play for Bristol Flyers06:40 Whether his parents - both former players - encouraged him to play07:14 The point he realised he was pretty decent as a player07:40 His first appearance on Hoopsfix08:28 When his growth spurt happened08:50 Playing in conference national league in Milton Keynes09:19 Being coached by his mum10:00 Making the decision to leave Milton Keynes to go to Southampton in Year 11 and play for Solent11:38 The European clubs that came recruiting him from a young age in the UK12:17 Why he chose Solent instead of another program13:14 What the initial plan was when he went back to Southampton13:15 Whether his eyes were always on going overseas14:16 Going from playing in conference competitions to NBL D1 Men's and EABL15:11 Why he wanted to overseas and leave the UK15:47 Why he ended up representing Poland and not Great Britain at the European Championships18:05 The conversations with GB about choosing Poland19:03 GB will regret not sorting Sochan's passport19:14 Playing against GB in the Europeans19:50 Not playing with his friends for Poland in the same way as it would have been for GB20:20 His first summer at the Europeans in 2018 with Poland21:16 Learning his role with Poland and getting used to fluctuating minutes22:26 What the year in Southampton did with Solent did for his development23:38 Single biggest thing he took from his time with Solent24:26 Whether he's a player who rises to the occasion24:52 His 31 point, 15 rebound performance in the EABL as a 15 year old vs Barking Abbey26:44 His dunk and trash talking27:53 Whether he felt other teams were zoning in on him28:25 Whether British basketball has a lot of haters29:35 Whether a lot of younger players message him30:11 The decision to go to La Lumiere High School31:48 Whether he made the decision before the Europeans32:17 Winning the MVP and leading Poland to Division A promotion at the 2019 Europeans33:17 Whether he can speak Polish33:45 The point at which colleges started recruiting him34:53 Was it a big deal to start getting college offers35:56 What has kept him grounded37:02 Being well travelled37:40 Why he wanted to go to La Lumiere38:21 How the American High School system works40:16 Players that he played against41:04 The transition from the UK to the US42:19 The level of athleticism in the US43:27 The level of high school basketball in the US44:01 Whether La Lumiere lived up to his expectations45:00 Whether High School basketball increased his confidence45:55 How he felt about the level of attention he started getting46:53 Whether colleges recruiting him became overwhelming48:02 How he feels about individual player rankings in the US50:39 Whether he used rankings as a motivating factor51:40 How high his ceiling is and how good he thinks he could be52:26 Never getting to compete in the Geico Nationals due to COVID-1953:08 COVID-19 taking away a bunch of opportunities in the summer for his exposure54:50 Why he committed to Baylor so early55:53 Having to play out of position at La Lumiere58:29 Whether he's been on any physical visits to schools because of COVID-1959:31 Zoom tours and COVID-19 proof recruitment techniques1:00:10 The best thing that happened whilst being recruited1:01:31 What it was about Baylor that made him want to go there1:03:04 What he is most looking forward to about going to Baylor1:03:53 How much he is contact with Baylor now1:04:34 COVID-19 hitting and when he got back to the UK1:06:06 How he decided to sign in Europe this season and return from the US1:08:55 What ratiopharm ulm said to make him sign with them1:11:03 His typical daily schedule in Germany1:11:57 What he's doing for education1:13:07 How far into the season he is so far1:14:09 His living arrangements in Germany1:14:22 His schedule for season1:15:21 His plans for next summer1:17:22 Other top players of his generation1:18:31 Whether he follows British basketball when he is overseas1:19:06 Whether he thinks it could be an option to leave college early and declare for the NBAThe show has been approved on iTunes – find it here and please subscribe to automatically receive new episodes straight to your phone/computer/tablet – if you could give us a review/rating it would be much appreciated to help the podcast spread far and wide, meanwhile it is also on Spotify here, Overcast, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts.You can support Hoopsfix's work in helping to grow British basketball on Patreon.

For Episode 78 of the Hoopsfix Podcast we sit down with four year pro and GB Senior international Josh Steel.Steel - currently playing in Spain's LEB Silver - was a much heralded junior in the UK, starting on BA London Leopards title winning squad as a 14 year old, being selected as a starter in the Jordan Brand Classic international game, and being a part of the Barking Abbey Kent Crusaders squad that won NBL Division 1 men with a roster of all under-19s bar one. Having represented the junior national team at U16, U18 and U20 level, he went to NCAA Division 1 school Duquesne but ended up leaving midway through his Sophomore year and ultimately deciding to turn pro the following season, signing his rookie deal with the Surrey Scorchers.In this 1 hour and 20 minute episode, Steel goes into his journey so far and what he has learned.Time stamps:00:00 Introduction2:37 Beginning of interview2:42 Impact of COVID-19 on the end of his 2019-20 season in Spain4:23 His thought process on leaving Spain and returning to the UK5:33 Chasing unpaid wages and the process for getting missed pay cheques6:49 How the lockdown has been for him and staying in shape8:23 Whether his game has taken a step back due to the lockdown9:53 How to prioritise what to work on during lockdown11:45 How he approached this season and deciding where to play13:39 The environment he needs to be in to excel15:03 Making the transition to being a pro after leaving college early and if it has gone as he envisioned18:32 Whether he ever thought about quitting basketball19:28 How he compares the levels between Spain and the BBL21:22 How a top BBL club would do in LEB Gold22:03 Organisationally, off the court, how the leagues compare23:02 How pre-season went for him this year25:25 How LEB Silver is handling COVID-19 and whether there are a lot of cancellations27:32 What made him first start playing basketball29:01 The decision to go to Barking Abbey so young30:34 The point he realised he was better than other players his age31:27 Playing with a Division 1 Men's side at 14 years old and its impact on his development33:56 Whether he felt his was basketball IQ was higher than his peers from playing with men34:55 Being a system player and why he needs to focus on his 1 on 1 game36:09 Advice for his younger self in terms of his development37:40 Winning the 2015 NBL Division 1 Men's playoff title with only one player over 1942:04 Standout memories from his time at Barking Abbey42:50 The 2014 EABL title43:57 The City of Palms Classic44:36 Making the decision to go to the US and the recruitment process48:47 Whether the recruiting process was a bit intense49:53 Does the recruiting process feel fake?50:20 What Duquesne had said to him during recruiting and the reality52:40 Tough conversations with the coaching staff at college54:16 How not playing affected him mentally55:20 Why he decided to return after a tough freshman year56:38 The circumstances around him leaving college and why58:58 Deciding to come home instead of transferring to another college1:01:30 Being a 'freelance practice player' on his return to the UK1:02:23 His first pro contract with Surrey1:04:12 Creon Raftopoulos giving genuine opportunities to young British players1:05:08 How he found the BBL compared to his previous perception1:06:31 Whether he felt he belonged in the BBL and was of the level1:07:24 The biggest adjustments to pro life1:08:37 Whether he was looking at the BBL as a stepping stone1:10:00 Whether he thinks the BBL is changing1:10:39 Giving young British kids a genuine opportunity in the BBL1:12:34 What advice he would give to an 18 year old who was considering their options for college1:13:54 How you know whether or not you will be given a big role in college1:15:52 The best British junior player he's played with or played against1:16:34 Best coach he's ever played for1:16:45 What separate Lloyd Gardner as a coach1:17:32 Single favourite basketball memory1:17:46 Playing in the Jordan Brand Classic as a youngster1:19:35 The future; what he wants to achieve in the next five yearsThe show has been approved on iTunes – find it here and please subscribe to automatically receive new episodes straight to your phone/computer/tablet – if you could give us a review/rating it would be much appreciated to help the podcast spread far and wide, meanwhile it is also on Spotify here, Overcast, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts.You can support Hoopsfix's work in helping to grow British basketball on Patreon.

For Episode 77 of the Hoopsfix podcast, we sit down with Director of Myerscough College basketball academy, Neal Hopkins.In just eight years, Neal has built Myerscough to one of the most successful elite academies in the UK, having won two EABL titles (the most recent being a co-championship), 4 X AOC Elite National Cup titles, plus two Division 3 titles whilst gaining promotion to Division 2,  along with a European Youth Basketball League regular season title last year, all whilst sending numerous players to the US on scholarship. Also a GB U20 assistant last summer with the team in Division A, and an assistant with the Mersey Tigers in the BBL during their most successful period winning three titles, Hopkins has a wealth of experience with elite basketball, and has won seven Coach of the Year awards across various competitions.In this 1 hour and 20 minute conversation, we cover a range of topics including his background, building an academy, the state of the academy basketball leagues in general, the impact of COVID-19 on the coming season and much more!Time stamps:00:00 Intro03:11 How Sam first came across Neal in 201004:30 Neal's focus on coaching in terms of qualifications & ensuring his financials were taken care of to be able to coach09:30 Freebie culture in British basketball and building a basketball economy13:20 Neal's background in basketball growing up17:32 The forgotten 'recreational' basketball crowd19:00 Why both Runshaw and Myerscough have been in less populated rural areas23:12 Ensuring games were filmed from early and doing highlight tapes27:01 The importance of digital/social media presence and online brand for basketball programmes34:24 The lack of awareness in the UK of the different levels39:35 Having difficult conversations with players who aren't so good but want to pursue a career42:58 Dealing with blowback on Hoopsfix All-Star Classic selection44:01 The European experience; competing in the EYBL, how it first came about and the journey50:55 The format of the EYBL and how the competition works55:51 Dealing with loading of the extra games and managing the domestic season too58:56 The feeling of winning the EYBL regular season title and what it meant for Neal personally1:02:55 The state of the academy leagues, talk of 'super academies' and the direction they are heading1:08:45 What Neal would do if he was Head of Performance for the federation to grow elite talent1:13:22 The dilution of the EABL and the ABL1:14:57 The impact of COVID-19 on the coming seasonThe show has been approved on iTunes – find it here and please subscribe to automatically receive new episodes straight to your phone/computer/tablet – if you could give us a review/rating it would be much appreciated to help the podcast spread far and wide, meanwhile it is also on Spotify here, Overcast, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts.You can support Hoopsfix's work in helping to grow British basketball on Patreon.

For episode 76 of the Hoopsfix Podcast we sit down with 13 year pro and 20-year coach Paul Douglas, aka Dougie.Dougie, originally a Birmingham Bullet, played all his years in the UK, predominantly in the North East, across Gateshead, Vikings, Sunderland Saints, Sunderland Scorpions, Newcastle Comets and Newcastle Eagles.Having represented England at U15, U17 and U18 levels, he received his first call up to the Senior team in 1993, and when he retired from playing in 1997 was 7th all-time in BBL 3-point shooting. As a coach, he has won 13 national championships, assisted England U16s between 2000-2003, and was involved with two attempts to revitalise pro basketball in Birmingham - as an assistant with the Panthers in 2006-07, and at the helm of the Birmingham Knights in 2013-14.In this 1 hour 50 minute episode, hear from Dougie on: Why he decided to leave Aston Manor Academy to focus on his own projects What his plans are for his own projects The state of Birmingham basketball How not having a pro club in Birmingham hurts the rest of the game Whether he knows of any talks around bringing a BBL franchise to Birmingham Where the Birmingham Knights went wrong and the biggest learnings The Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in 2022 and whether he believes it will have an impact How he first started playing Getting cut from Birmingham Bullets and it being the driver to pursue basketball as a career How good Steve Bucknall was  His standout years as a pro His favourite memories from his playing days Being one of the early coaches at basketball academies in the UK at both Newcastle and Middlesborough The success his Middlesborough academy side had, being one of the early junior sides to play in senior competition The Nike Milfield Camps and adidas ABC camps that used to take place in the UK Being a co-founder of UK Elite and what they were trying to do with it from 2009-11 Best player he has coached The top British player he has played with or against And much, much more! The show has been approved on iTunes – find it here and please subscribe to automatically receive new episodes straight to your phone/computer/tablet – if you could give us a review/rating it would be much appreciated to help the podcast spread far and wide, meanwhile it is also on Spotify here, Overcast, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts.You can support Hoopsfix's work in helping to grow British basketball on Patreon.

In episode 75 of the Hoopsfix podcast we sit down with GB starting guard and four year pro Teddy Okereafor.Currently a free agent, Okereafor is mulling over his opens and seems to be open to a return to the UK to play in the BBL, as we discussed the state of the domestic league along with his career and journey to date.Having had a successful junior career in England which culminated in an U18 national championship with the Westminster Warriors, Teddy went to the US to Christchurch High School where he won Virginia Prep League Player of the Year and signed with VCU the year after their Final Four run.Having completed his sophomore year and with minutes still hard to come by, Okereafor made the decision to transfer to Rider – and with it had a fundamental shift in his work ethic, realising if he wanted to play something needed to change.He went on to have two successful years on the court at Rider (and another one he had to sit out due to NCAA transfer rules), before turning pro in 2016, where he has played in Estonia, Italy and Greece, whilst becoming a core part of the GB senior men's squad.In this 1 hour and 20 minute ish episode, hear from Teddy on: What he's been up to during lockdown and how things are looking for him this season Whether he had any conversations with London lions ahead of this year The prospect of playing in the BBL this season Whether he feels British basketball has pushed forward over recent years How hard it is finding somewhere to work out and play in London How he first picked up a ball through his step father and brother Getting cut from the England Under-16s Playing for Hackney White Heat but not getting off the bench, and NASSA in a local league The forming of the stacked Westminster Warriors team that won the 2010 U18 National Championship How the move to the US came about The transition on and off the court from the UK to the US The recruitment process and choosing VCU Why he decided to transfer away from VCU The wake up call that got him to change his work ethic for the better Having to sit a year out after transferring and then getting back on court with Rider in a much bigger role His first call up to the GB Senior Men's team The process of turning pro His workout with the Washington Wizards Signing with agents over Facebook Finding a scenario in Greece that has seen him play 3 seasons there The Greek fans Standout memories from national team duty The current GB Group Thoughts around qualifying for EuroBasket His favourite GB teammates And much, much more! The show has been approved on iTunes – find it here and please subscribe to automatically receive new episodes straight to your phone/computer/tablet – if you could give us a review/rating it would be much appreciated to help the podcast spread far and wide, meanwhile it is also on Spotify here, Overcast, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts.You can support Hoopsfix's work in helping to grow British basketball on Patreon.

For Episode 74 of the Hoopsfix Podcast, we sit down with Great Britain big man, Gabe Olaseni, currently plying his trade in Turkey with Buyukcekmece.This episode is supported by Foot Locker, find out what they are doing for grassroots hoops in Europe at the Foot Locker Basketball Hub.The 6'11" centre is in his sixth year as a pro after a successful college career at Iowa, and has played at the highest levels in Europe, having signed what was reported as one of the biggest rookie contracts in Europe with Euroleague side Bamberg straight out of college, and along with Germany has played in France, Italy, Spain and now Turkey.Olaseni had a rough start to his pro career; he likes to joke he was fired from his first two pro jobs, but has used the lessons to bounce back and carve himself out a role at the highest tiers of European competition.In this 90 minutes episode hear from Gabe on: When he first realised COVID-19 was going to be a serious thing Staying in Turkey for two months believing the postponed season would get started again Coming back to London for the summer and working out outside How COVID-19 has affected the European basketball market Making the decision to sign back in Turkey for a second year How COVID-19 has impacted Turkish basketball this season His first exposure to basketball and why he started playing First playing club basketball with the Eastside Eagles Making the decision to not joined a stacked Westminster Warriors U18 squad who would go on to win the title Travelling from East to West London to play for Uxbridge Emperors The top players of his generation that he was keeping an eye on Getting turned down by Barking Abbey How the move to the US to Sunrise Christian Academy first came about The transition to the US both on and off the court How Iowa came across him by accident whilst recruiting his teammate His work ethic and the time he was putting in whilst at college The standout memories from his time at college Dealing with doubts after not playing a lot in his first two years at Iowa Learning to embrace a role on a team His mentality on turning professional NBA draft workouts and NBA summer league Why he chose to sign in Europe instead of play in the G-League and pursue the NBA His rookie contract and the rumours of him being one of the highest paid rookies in Europe Financial management His rookie season with Bamberg in the Euroleague and the difficulties Playing for Great Britain Senior Men and receiving his first call up His breakout tournament at EuroBasket 2017 How he feels about the current GB group and their chances of qualifying for EuroBasket 2021 Whether he stays in touch with other GB guys through the season Balancing personal production and team performance Playing in Germany, Italy, France, Spain, and Turkey and comparing the leagues His thoughts on the levels of the BBL What the London Lions are doing this season Highlights of his career so far Toughest moment of his career so far Best coach he's played for Toughest player he's had to play against Best British player he's played against Favourite British teammate Goals for the next 5 years of his career And much, much more! The show has been approved on iTunes – find it here and please subscribe to automatically receive new episodes straight to your phone/computer/tablet – if you could give us a review/rating it would be much appreciated to help the podcast spread far and wide, meanwhile it is also on Spotify here, Overcast, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts.

For Episode 73 of the Hoopsfix podcast, we sit down with highly rated Class of 2021 prospect Cameron Hildreth and his father and coach, Danny Hildreth.Danny is a former BBL professional, having had more than a decade long playing career with Ware Rebels, Brighton Bears, Derby Storm and Worthing Thunder, before stepping into the coaching side of the game, whilst Cameron, a GB junior international, is arguably the best player of his generation, having dominated NBL Division 1 as a 17 year old last season averaging over 20 points per game.Danny has coached Cameron on at least one team he plays for (whether as assistant or head coach) since he first competed as a nine year old in Under-13 national league, and most recently led them to an undefeated season with Holy Trinity in the ABL.Cameron has just announced his commitment to ACC school Wake Forest, and is believed to be the first male player to go directly from the UK to a high major program, and one of less than a handful of British guards to ever go high major.In this hour episode, hear from Cameron and Danny on: Cameron's decision to commit to Wake Forest The recruiting process and how it has been affected by COVID-19 Why Cameron decided to commit early Montana State being the first school to offer Cameron and how it happened The decision between going to a smaller school or a big school Advice for parents weighing up options for their basketball-playing children ‘Virtual' recruiting and how that has looked without being able to go on any visits Cultural differences between Americans and British people and the intensity of it all Choosing the US college route instead of Europe Where the BBL sits in Cam's plans and why he is not playing in the BBL instead of NBL D1 The six-year offer Cameron had on the table from London Lions What the BBL needs to do to sign young British talent and pull them away from the allure of the US Suiting up at the Euroleague adidas Next Generation Tournament and the impact it had on interest Foreign recruiters discounting what players do against British competition The concerns around COVID-19 wiping out the season and what it could mean for Cam's development British guard development and what has attributed to Cam's basketball IQ and guard skills An analysis of Cam's strengths and weaknesses Why Cam chose to not leave Sussex Storm after his GCSEs for an EABL school, going to Holy Trinity in the ABL Cam's future aspirations and where he wants to be after four years at Wake Forest And much, much more! The show has been approved on iTunes – find it here and please subscribe to automatically receive new episodes straight to your phone/computer/tablet – if you could give us a review/rating it would be much appreciated to help the podcast spread far and wide, meanwhile it is also on Spotify here, Overcast, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts.

In Episode 72 of the Hoopsfix Podcast, we sit down with former Newcastle Eagles assistant coach Dave Forrester, who announced he would be stepping down from the sidelines last week.Forrester, a criminal defence lawyer by day, has an improbable story that saw him start as a super fan of the club before forging a relationship with Fab Flournoy that eventually saw him take a spot on the bench as assistant coach.He served over a decade on the sidelines with the league's winningest franchise under Fab, winning 14 trophies, and ending as runners up another 8 times.Having been involved with British basketball across multiple levels, as a fan, administrator, recruiter, operator, referee, coach and member of the Eagles Community Foundation board, Forrester has a unique holistic perspective on the game which we were able to get into.In this 1 hour 50 minute episode, hear from Dave on: Why he decided to step down from his role as assistant coach with the Eagles How he went from fan to assistant coach Whether there were any issues gaining the respect of players not having had an extensive coaching background His relationship with Fab Flournoy over the years The biggest things he learned from working with Flournoy The opinions that changed going from the stands to having inside knowledge of the workings of the team The number one criticism he sees of the BBL that he believes to be incorrect What causes some of the negative perceptions of the BBL The need for help and guidance to aid NBL club's development What impact the arena has made for Newcastle Eagles The biggest leverage points he sees for the growth of British basketball Why the North East is not producing more elite talent despite a thriving grassroots His take on the Newcastle Eagles using a lot of 'plastic Brits' - non-home grown developed players with access to a British passport The impact of COVID-19 on the coming season How importance a TV deal is for the future growth of the sport His favourite memories from his time on the Eagles bench The best player he's coached The best players he's seen in the BBL Predictions for the coming BBL season And much, much more! The show has been approved on iTunes – find it here and please subscribe to automatically receive new episodes straight to your phone/computer/tablet – if you could give us a review/rating it would be much appreciated to help the podcast spread far and wide, meanwhile it is also on Spotify here, Overcast, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts.

For episode 71 of the Hoopsfix podcast, we sit down with Tayo Ogedengbe, 12 year BBL veteran, England international and the face of the Surrey Scorchers franchise.Ogedengbe has been one of the best and most consistent British players in the BBL for a number of years, having made his debut in 2007-8 with London Capital under Steve Bucknall before representing Guildford Heat, Glasgow Rocks, plus a season in France with Calais, London Lions, and then signing with the Surrey Scorchers in 2015/16 as their franchise player, where he has remained since.His role with Scorchers goes beyond purely on-court as a player, and he is involved in a lot of decision making with the franchise.In this 90 minute episode, hear from Tayo on: His 'brand ambassador' role with the Surrey Scorchers The inception of the Surrey Scorchers franchise and the vision for his place with the franchise How many years he thinks he has left playing What he sees himself doing when he finishes playing The change he has seen in the BBL over the decade he has been playing in it Areas he would like to see the BBL improve His take on the All-Stars Championship When he found out last season was going to be cancelled due to COVID-19 The need for a player's union His thoughts on the coming BBL season and the potential impact of COVID-19 Surrey's training 'bubble' that has seen numerous players compete as lockdown eased Joel Freeland and whether we could see him getting involved with the Scorchers His relationship with Puma and involvement with other brands The commercial development of British basketball His early playing days with Ealing Tornadoes Winning Midnight Madness and as a result getting a place at Canarias Basketball Academy Starting his time in the BBL with London Capital under Steve Bucknall Playing under Creon Raftopoulos - initially at Guildford Heat - and their relationship to this day Scratching the itch to play abroad and doing a year in France with Calais Whether he has any regrets about not spending more time overseas His thoughts on the Scorchers' roster this coming season and an overall season preview The goals he wants to achieve before retiring And much, much more! The show has been approved on iTunes – find it here and please subscribe to automatically receive new episodes straight to your phone/computer/tablet – if you could give us a review/rating it would be much appreciated to help the podcast spread far and wide, meanwhile it is also on Spotify here, Overcast, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts.

For episode 70 of the Hoopsfix podcast, we sit down with Delme Herriman, aka Mr Versatility, former England international and 13 year pro.Herriman, who published his autobiography in 2010 chronicling the details of his life and basketball career, collected 77 caps for England, winning a Bronze medal at the 2006 Commonwealth Games, alongside a more-than-decade-long professional career that saw him play in Italy, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Austria and the UK.The 6'6" 'point forward' started games at the 1 through 4 positions, and would regularly stuff the statsheet flirting with triple doubles which earned him the nickname Mr Versatility.Delme finished his college career at Wright State - where he was a four year starter - second all-time in games played, and third all-time in minutes played, but he lives forever in the memory of Raiders' fans for hitting ‘The Shot'; the basket which saw WSU's 71-70 victory over No.25 Ranked Xavier in the 1995 MCC Tournament, with just 1.1 seconds remaining.In this 1 hour forty minute episode, hear from Delme on: How he was first introduced to the game The Manchester United basketball programme What inspired him to take the game more seriously How watching VHS tapes of Steve Bucknall and Karl Brown at college inspired him Whether or not he had a natural ability for basketball How he ended up getting out to the US through the Rotary International programme Whether High School was what he expected it to be The difference in mentality between Americans and English players Growing up in Widnes compared to Urichsville the town he moved to in the US  Having to deal with racism  The recruitment process and why he chose Wright State The impact that redshirting a year had on allowing him to adapt and improve College life and living independently Playing in front of 42,000 fans against Indiana in the NCAA tournament in his freshman year Hitting 'the shot' to lead WSU to victory over Xavier in the MCC tournament Whether or not he believed he had the talent to make the NBA  The Bosman ruling  Turning pro and his first contract in Italy with Trieste worth $90,000 a year Falling out of love with the game Returning home to play for the Manchester Giants after turning down a renewal offer from Trieste Playing for England and his favourite memories with the national team Coach Laszlo Nemeth and his impact His time in the Netherlands  Winning a championship with Chester in the BBL Making the transition to retire from playing And much, much more! The show has been approved on iTunes – find it here and please subscribe to automatically receive new episodes straight to your phone/computer/tablet – if you could give us a review/rating it would be much appreciated to help the podcast spread far and wide, meanwhile it is also on Spotify here, Overcast, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts.You can support Hoopsfix's work in helping to grow British basketball on Patreon.

In Episdoe 69 of the Hoopsfix Podcast we speak with Ajou Deng, one of the most talented players to ever come out of the UK.Standing 6'11" with a 7'4" wingspan, Deng - the older brother of NBA and GB star Luol - had a skillset ahead of his time, being able to face up and handle the ball on the perimeter, ending up one of the most heralded prospects to ever land at UConn.Growing up through a devastating civil war in Sudan, him and his family fled to Egypt where he picked up a basketball for the first time under the tutelage of 7'7" Sudanese NBA star Manute Bol.From there, his family were granted asylum to England, where he played for Brixton Topcats for a year and a half under Jimmy Rogers before attracting the attention of UConn, committing early and making the move to St Thomas More High School in the US for two seasons, where he averaged 22 points, 12 rebounds and seven blocks a game.He was named a Parade All American Third team in 1998, before joining UConn in the 98-99 season, where, led by future NBA players Richard Hamilton and Khalid El Amin, they won a national championship although Ajou was stuck to practicing only due to being academically ineligible.The level of hype around him was unprecedented, Khalid El Amin called him the best player on their roster that year in a Sports Illustrated feature spread, as he was named the Big East preseason rookie of the year.Battling through foot injuries in college and with minutes hard to come by, Deng announced he was transferring from UConn in his Sophomore year, ending up at Fairfield for his final two years at college whilst still having foot issues.Having been told by a doctor he should never play again, a year out rehabbing after college saw him sign his first pro contract with Nick Nurse's Brighton Bears in the BBL, where he would go on to have a five year pro career predominantly in the UK along with a season in Slovakia, before hanging them up after the 2008-9 season.He now works full time for the Luol Deng Foundation.Note: Ajou joined us on the call from Uganda where the internet connection wasn't always the strongest, we have edited most of the drops out where possible, but there are still moments where it gets a little choppy - stick with it and it gets stronger as the call goes on!In this 90 minute episode, hear from Ajou on: How he first started playing basketball in Egypt under Manute Bol The provision for basketball in Egypt and the environment he was playing in Watching old VHS tapes of the NBA and cultivating his love for the game Arriving in the UK, being turned down by Crystal Palace and ending up at Brixton The culture shock of the UK His first impressions of the legendary Jimmy Rogers Standout players in the British basketball landscape as he was coming up The Brixton - Hackney rivalry with Joe White's teams and Andrew Sullivan How Tony Hanson - a UConn legend then coaching in the UK - was the first to put Jim Calhoun and the UConn programme on to Ajou Heading to St Thomas More Prep school under Jere Quinn and how instrumental that was to his development The players he was looking up to for his own skill development Transitioning from the UK to the US and the physicality and athleticism Coming back in the summers to play in Rough and Ready His first year at UConn and having to sit out, practising only The '99 squad winning the national championship but not being able to play The Sports Illustrated article where Khalid El Amin said he was the best player on the team Whether he felt pressure of the expectations placed upon him Playing through a foot injury and having to take painkillers daily to practice Trying to focus on basketball with the civil war going on in Sudan and seeing it as an opportunity to inspire and represent other South Sudanese The decision to transfer 5 or so games into his Sophomore season at UConn Why he chose to go to Fairfield His goal to make the NBA Whether he has any regrets about his college career Taking a year to rehab his injury having been told by a doctor to never play again Turning pro and signing with Brighton Bears under Nick Nurse His memories of Nick Nurse as a coach His time in Scotland and Guildford Going into Europe with the Guildford Heat What kept him going despite the repetitive foot injuries His experiences playing in Slovakia Why he chose to retire when he did His role with the Luol Deng Foundation since retiring Seeing Luol coming through as a youngster and what he has gone on to do with his career Advice he would give to younger players aspiring to play pro And much, much more! The show has been approved on iTunes – find it here and please subscribe to automatically receive new episodes straight to your phone/computer/tablet – if you could give us a review/rating it would be much appreciated to help the podcast spread far and wide, meanwhile it is also on Spotify here, Overcast, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts.You can support Hoopsfix's work in helping to grow British basketball on Patreon.

For Episode 68 of the Hoopsfix podcast, we sit down with top GB prospect Holly Winterburn who recently announced her decision to return from the US and sign in Leicester on a three-year deal.Winterburn, 19, is one of the most talented junior players to ever come out of the UK, having spent her freshman season at top ranked Oregon where she won a Pac-12 regular season and tournament championship, playing alongside three teammates who would be selected in the top 10 of the 2020 WNBA draft.Her decision to play in the UK over the options she had in the US is unprecedented, and represents a huge opportunity for the domestic game.The 5'11" guard has represented the England/GB junior national teams for six straight summers, from U16 through to U20 level, making two European Championship All-Tournament teams.Before heading to the US, she shone in the WBBL, winning two Young Player of the Year Awards, and making the WBBL All-British team, whilst dominating at the junior level winning a WEABL championship and MVP, along with MVP in the inaugural Hoopsfix All-Star Classic U19 Women's game.In this 1 hour 20 minute episode, hear from Holly on: How she first got into basketball at school Playing a number of different sports such as a football Getting selected for the England U15 development squad and realising she could be good Her role models and inspirations as a young teenager Disconnect between younger players and the GB senior players Whether playing with older players at such a young age helped with her maturity off-court Her first practice with Leicester's WBBL side as a 15 year old Advice she would give for younger players to cultivate self belief and confidence The challenge of tuning out other people's opinions When the college coaches came knocking What it means to represent her country and why she has suited up for the national team for six straight summers Playing her best basketball with GB in the summer Preparation time for the junior national teams Her lack of call up to the GB Senior Women's team yet Weighing up options and making the decision which school in the US to go to Her three visits and the recruitment process The level of provision at Oregon The struggle with playing time Her first basket at Oregon against the USA Senior Women's national team Winning the Pac-12 regular season and tournament title Missing out on March Madness Making the decision to transfer to UC Davis Deciding to return home to sign with Leicester and the role the pandemic had The importance of her happiness off the floor to be happy on it Whether or not her goal is still to play professionally abroad in the long term Her aim to help grow the profile of the WBBL and domestic game Working with younger players And much, much, more!  The show has been approved on iTunes – find it here and please subscribe to automatically receive new episodes straight to your phone/computer/tablet – if you could give us a review/rating it would be much appreciated to help the podcast spread far and wide, meanwhile it is also on Spotify here, Overcast, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts.You can support Hoopsfix's work in helping to grow British basketball on Patreon.

In Episode 67 of the Hoopsfix Podcast we sit down with former BBL, NBL and England Head Coach, Dave Titmuss, aka Coach T.Titmuss has spent over 50 years on the sidelines of British basketball, starting out as a 22 year old before working his way up to the highest levels of the game experiencing success at every level, with 15 national titles, a Paralympic World Cup gold medal, a World Wheelchair Basketball Championship silver medal, a Paralympic bronze medal, two Coach of the Year awards and two Paralympic sport Coach of the Year awards.Starting in 1970 with St Albans Phoenix, Titmuss went on to the Hemel Lakers, the side that ultimately became Ovaltine Hemel Hempstead in National League Division 1 in the late 70s and early 80s, competing in the Korac Cup in Europe. From there he spent time with Tigers Juniors in Hemel, Brunel in Division 1, before joining Thames Valley Tigers in the BBL.He then developed the Ware Rebels junior programme, experiencing his first undefeated season, and before joining the Reading Rockets in NBL D1 where they had a historic quadruple-winning undefeated season in 2008-09.Whilst with Reading, he served as Head Coach and Performance Director of Great Britain's Paralympic squad for eight years, coaching GB to fourth place at the 2000 Sydney Paralympics, a Silver Medal at the 2002 World Championships in Kitakyushu, Japan, Bronze at the 2004 Athens Paralympics, and Gold at the Paralympic World Cup in Manchester.He went on to a season in the BBL with Worthing Thunder, before rounding out his career with Hemel Storm from 2010-2019.Titmuss has dedicated a large amount of his time coaching coaches, and is now mentoring whist enjoying retirement.In this 1 hour 39 minute episode, hear from Coach T on: His first exposure to basketball and making the switch from football How he ended up coaching his first session and falling in love with it in his early twenties His process for developing his coaching skills Coaching in the burgeoning national league with Hemel Lakers The professionalisation of the Hemel club within a 7-year time frame becoming Ovaltine Hemel Hempstead and competing in Europe Why basketball more 'mainstream' in the late early 80s, and how big of a role tv played The level of American player teams were able to recruit to play in England in that era How much of a role having British talent at home plays in the development of the game Hemel running their own lottery in the south of the country which helped the club turnover upwards of £1.5million (incorrectly labelled as £5m in the pod) His role at Hemel encompassing a lot more than just coaching, specifically the commercial side of the club Formulating his own coaching philosophy and style Recruiting players that fit the style you want to play versus building a philosophy around the roster make up His three years coaching the England Senior Men First experience coaching in the BBL with Thames Valley Tigers from 1990-1994 Building the Ware Rebels junior programme and it cementing his beliefs around youth development Coaching the England Juniors including a coming up Drew Sullivan Becoming involved with the Great Britain Wheelchair Basketball Association and taking the reigns of their GB Senior Men squad Competing in multiple Paralympics, a world championship and experiencing the highest levels of the game His undefeated season with the Reading Rockets in NBL D1 in 2008-09 winning the quadruple A year in the BBL with Worthing Thunder in 2009-10 the following year Rounding out his career on the sidelines with Hemel Storm Mentoring coaches now to pass on his knowledge What he would do if he was tasked with improving the quality and quantity of coaches in the UK And much, much more! The show has been approved on iTunes – find it here and please subscribe to automatically receive new episodes straight to your phone/computer/tablet – if you could give us a review/rating it would be much appreciated to help the podcast spread far and wide, meanwhile it is also on Spotify here, Overcast, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts.You can support Hoopsfix's work in helping to grow British basketball on Patreon.