Hoopsfix Podcast - British Basketball with Sam Neter

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 Intro
2:30 Interview start
2:36 What the 2K investment means for the club and what the outcomes will be
6:13 How long these projects take and when the Nechells refurb will be finished
8:12 Where the money is being invested into
10:11 The seating capacity for the refurb
10:58 Whether City of Birmingham could fill a 500 seat venue
11:50 Do the City of Birmingham Rockets have BBL aspirations?
13:16 How far conversations have gone with the league around a BBL franchise
14:05 2k funding for stuff external to the venue
15:58 Whether the funding is based over long term or not
16:40 How big the investment is from 2K
17:41 Commercial sponsors being interested in london and why 2K are interested in Birmingham
19:16 How Hakeem Olajuwon came to be involved with the club in 2015
24:03 Hakeem Olajuwon has actually moved to the UK
25:15 What difference it makes to the club having Olajuwon associated with it
27:40 Rebranding to the Rockets due to Hakeem’s involvement
28:50 Rob’s background prior to founding City of Birmingham basketball club
44:55 Recruiting players and raising awareness of the initial CVL
48:42 How the club was able to grow so quickly in the first two seasons and whether it was too quick
49:45 Growing pains going from 1 teams to multiple within 2 seasons
54:36 Being able to double up on the club through his basketball development role with the council
57:01 When Rob was able to go full time on the club
1:00:52 Going full time and what difference it had on the club’s growth
1:05:39 What the club’s revenue streams are
1:09:27 Breaking down the percentages of club revenue
1:11:11 How many full time employees the club has
1:12:47 How much scope there is for the club to grow in Birmingham
1:15:29 What impact the Commonwealth Games could have in Birmingham

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 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 Intro
02:12 Interview start
02:32 Starting Wing Kings, his catering company he transitioning into after basketball
06:03 How he first got into basketball
14:48 Whether he had natural raw talent or it was something he had to work at
16:22 Where his size comes from, being 6'6" 296 at 17 years old
18:02 If he lifted weights
18:48 Being the strongest despite not lifting
19:38 The impact Joe White had on his life
22:33 Why players sought Joe White's approval
25:34 Top players of his generation he played with and against
28:28 How his move to the States happened and how good Dajuan Wagner was
31:18 The transition to the US
31:58 How good Drew Sullivan was in High School
33:59 How college turned Drew and Olu into defenders potentially taking away from their offensive game
37:00 Some of the future NBA players Olu was guarding at college
38:36 Going to high school with both Andrew Sullivan and Pops Mensah-Bonsu
42:03 A crazy story from Pops at a 7/11 in Jersey
43:51 The recruitment process and being chased by almost every program in the US
46:00 False rumours that he had committed to Villanova
48:36 His tough freshman year at Clemson and wanting to leave
52:30 The two players who left Clemson that opened up minutes for him
54:49 How confidence he was he could make the NBA
56:10 His standout memories from Clemson
1:00:44 His 22, 7 and 5 game vs Virginia
1:01:13 Whether there is footage floating around of his college career
1:01:53 Playing for the American football team at Clemson after his Senior year
1:07:11 The transition to being a pro and his rookie year
1:14:01 Leaving Italy for Sweden
1:16:55 Why he played in the BBL for the majority of his career
1:18:48 Basketball players being humans and having to take other factors into account in their decisions
1:26:38 Whether he feels the BBL has progressed and the need for a player's union
1:29:02 Players still playing in the BBL and barely getting paid
1:30:34 National team and why he didn't feature more heavily for GB
1:33:42 His favourite basketball teammate
1:34:05 Best coach he has ever played for
1:34:59 Best British junior player he's ever seen
1:35:17 Best player he's played against
1:35:48 Standout basketball memory from his career
1:36:42 What he wants his legacy to be

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 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 Intro
03:18 Interview start
04:35 James playing background
15:55 Knowing you could make being a full time club coach work
20:20 Focusing on getting players playing younger
26:17 How to get the first ever session for your club and scaling it from there
33:06 The incentive from the school's perspective to provide basketball
35:13 The compounding effect of having a track record
36:48 How much room for growth there is in Richmond for the Knights
39:03 What would happen if he hit 100% saturation of every school in the borough
41:28 Where he sends his players on from Richmond Knights
43:20 Whether he has long term aspirations for an EABL academy and owning the entire pathway
46:41 If he has aspirations for a BBL franchise
47:55 The senior side of the programme being more of a drain than the juniors
48:59 The juniors playing up in the senior team
50:57 Whether the BBL would become more attractive if he had investors and the right operators
54:05 If the success of Richmond Knights can be partly attributed to the affluence of the area
58:27 The different revenue streams of the club
1:01:57 Whether he's had conversations with potential commercial partners
1:03:28 The scale of how big the Richmond Knights are financially
1:07:24 What he envisions for the future of the Richmond Knights over 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 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 Intro
02:15 Interview start
02:33 What made Caroline first get into basketball
05:55 Her progression as a player and transitioning into coaching
10:17 Where the name Newham Youngbloods came from
13:31 What was the motivation to start her own club
20:03 The influence of Jimmy Rogers, Joe White and Humphrey Long on her journey
24:26 How she approaches working with a new young player who comes to the club
29:07 The current Newham Youngbloods structure in terms of teams
30:34 Whether she's considered setting up an academy
33:02 Basketball as a tool for a social impact
38:32 the London 2012 Olympic legacy
45:47 Being involved with the London 2012 Olympic bid
50:01 If she was given a blank cheque for the club what she would do with it
54:00 The Youngbloods partnership with the London Lions
57:28 If the Lions new ownership changed anything with the partnership
59:20 The state of female basketball in England
01:03:12 Why less females are into basketball than males
01:06:48 If she was in charge of increasing female participation what she would do
01:10:18 Whether Newham could support more clubs
01:13:21 Favourite basketball memory from playing and coaching
01:14:52 The best player Newham Youngbloods has produced
01:17:40 The best coach she's played or worked with
01:19:04 Advice for someone who wanted to set up a community club
01:21:03 The future of the Newham Youngbloods
01:24:05 What she wants her personal legacy to be

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 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 Intro
02:29 Beginning of interview
03:02 How he first picked up a ball
05:10 His parents basketball background
06:01 Memories of watching his dad play for Bristol Flyers
06:40 Whether his parents - both former players - encouraged him to play
07:14 The point he realised he was pretty decent as a player
07:40 His first appearance on Hoopsfix
08:28 When his growth spurt happened
08:50 Playing in conference national league in Milton Keynes
09:19 Being coached by his mum
10:00 Making the decision to leave Milton Keynes to go to Southampton in Year 11 and play for Solent
11:38 The European clubs that came recruiting him from a young age in the UK
12:17 Why he chose Solent instead of another program
13:14 What the initial plan was when he went back to Southampton
13:15 Whether his eyes were always on going overseas
14:16 Going from playing in conference competitions to NBL D1 Men's and EABL
15:11 Why he wanted to overseas and leave the UK
15:47 Why he ended up representing Poland and not Great Britain at the European Championships
18:05 The conversations with GB about choosing Poland
19:03 GB will regret not sorting Sochan's passport
19:14 Playing against GB in the Europeans
19:50 Not playing with his friends for Poland in the same way as it would have been for GB
20:20 His first summer at the Europeans in 2018 with Poland
21:16 Learning his role with Poland and getting used to fluctuating minutes
22:26 What the year in Southampton did with Solent did for his development
23:38 Single biggest thing he took from his time with Solent
24:26 Whether he's a player who rises to the occasion
24:52 His 31 point, 15 rebound performance in the EABL as a 15 year old vs Barking Abbey
26:44 His dunk and trash talking
27:53 Whether he felt other teams were zoning in on him
28:25 Whether British basketball has a lot of haters
29:35 Whether a lot of younger players message him
30:11 The decision to go to La Lumiere High School
31:48 Whether he made the decision before the Europeans
32:17 Winning the MVP and leading Poland to Division A promotion at the 2019 Europeans
33:17 Whether he can speak Polish
33:45 The point at which colleges started recruiting him
34:53 Was it a big deal to start getting college offers
35:56 What has kept him grounded
37:02 Being well travelled
37:40 Why he wanted to go to La Lumiere
38:21 How the American High School system works
40:16 Players that he played against
41:04 The transition from the UK to the US
42:19 The level of athleticism in the US
43:27 The level of high school basketball in the US
44:01 Whether La Lumiere lived up to his expectations
45:00 Whether High School basketball increased his confidence
45:55 How he felt about the level of attention he started getting
46:53 Whether colleges recruiting him became overwhelming
48:02 How he feels about individual player rankings in the US
50:39 Whether he used rankings as a motivating factor
51:40 How high his ceiling is and how good he thinks he could be
52:26 Never getting to compete in the Geico Nationals due to COVID-19
53:08 COVID-19 taking away a bunch of opportunities in the summer for his exposure
54:50 Why he committed to Baylor so early
55:53 Having to play out of position at La Lumiere
58:29 Whether he's been on any physical visits to schools because of COVID-19
59:31 Zoom tours and COVID-19 proof recruitment techniques
1:00:10 The best thing that happened whilst being recruited
1:01:31 What it was about Baylor that made him want to go there
1:03:04 What he is most looking forward to about going to Baylor
1:03:53 How much he is contact with Baylor now
1:04:34 COVID-19 hitting and when he got back to the UK
1:06:06 How he decided to sign in Europe this season and return from the US
1:08:55 What ratiopharm ulm said to make him sign with them
1:11:03 His typical daily schedule in Germany
1:11:57 What he's doing for education
1:13:07 How far into the season he is so far
1:14:09 His living arrangements in Germany
1:14:22 His schedule for season
1:15:21 His plans for next summer
1:17:22 Other top players of his generation
1:18:31 Whether he follows British basketball when he is overseas
1:19:06 Whether he thinks it could be an option to leave college early and declare for the NBA

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 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 Introduction
2:37 Beginning of interview
2:42 Impact of COVID-19 on the end of his 2019-20 season in Spain
4:23 His thought process on leaving Spain and returning to the UK
5:33 Chasing unpaid wages and the process for getting missed pay cheques
6:49 How the lockdown has been for him and staying in shape
8:23 Whether his game has taken a step back due to the lockdown
9:53 How to prioritise what to work on during lockdown
11:45 How he approached this season and deciding where to play
13:39 The environment he needs to be in to excel
15:03 Making the transition to being a pro after leaving college early and if it has gone as he envisioned
18:32 Whether he ever thought about quitting basketball
19:28 How he compares the levels between Spain and the BBL
21:22 How a top BBL club would do in LEB Gold
22:03 Organisationally, off the court, how the leagues compare
23:02 How pre-season went for him this year
25:25 How LEB Silver is handling COVID-19 and whether there are a lot of cancellations
27:32 What made him first start playing basketball
29:01 The decision to go to Barking Abbey so young
30:34 The point he realised he was better than other players his age
31:27 Playing with a Division 1 Men's side at 14 years old and its impact on his development
33:56 Whether he felt his was basketball IQ was higher than his peers from playing with men
34:55 Being a system player and why he needs to focus on his 1 on 1 game
36:09 Advice for his younger self in terms of his development
37:40 Winning the 2015 NBL Division 1 Men's playoff title with only one player over 19
42:04 Standout memories from his time at Barking Abbey
42:50 The 2014 EABL title
43:57 The City of Palms Classic
44:36 Making the decision to go to the US and the recruitment process
48:47 Whether the recruiting process was a bit intense
49:53 Does the recruiting process feel fake?
50:20 What Duquesne had said to him during recruiting and the reality
52:40 Tough conversations with the coaching staff at college
54:16 How not playing affected him mentally
55:20 Why he decided to return after a tough freshman year
56:38 The circumstances around him leaving college and why
58:58 Deciding to come home instead of transferring to another college
1:01:30 Being a 'freelance practice player' on his return to the UK
1:02:23 His first pro contract with Surrey
1:04:12 Creon Raftopoulos giving genuine opportunities to young British players
1:05:08 How he found the BBL compared to his previous perception
1:06:31 Whether he felt he belonged in the BBL and was of the level
1:07:24 The biggest adjustments to pro life
1:08:37 Whether he was looking at the BBL as a stepping stone
1:10:00 Whether he thinks the BBL is changing
1:10:39 Giving young British kids a genuine opportunity in the BBL
1:12:34 What advice he would give to an 18 year old who was considering their options for college
1:13:54 How you know whether or not you will be given a big role in college
1:15:52 The best British junior player he's played with or played against
1:16:34 Best coach he's ever played for
1:16:45 What separate Lloyd Gardner as a coach
1:17:32 Single favourite basketball memory
1:17:46 Playing in the Jordan Brand Classic as a youngster
1:19:35 The future; what he wants to achieve in the next five 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 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 Intro
03:11 How Sam first came across Neal in 2010
04:30 Neal's focus on coaching in terms of qualifications & ensuring his financials were taken care of to be able to coach
09:30 Freebie culture in British basketball and building a basketball economy
13:20 Neal's background in basketball growing up
17:32 The forgotten 'recreational' basketball crowd
19:00 Why both Runshaw and Myerscough have been in less populated rural areas
23:12 Ensuring games were filmed from early and doing highlight tapes
27:01 The importance of digital/social media presence and online brand for basketball programmes
34:24 The lack of awareness in the UK of the different levels
39:35 Having difficult conversations with players who aren't so good but want to pursue a career
42:58 Dealing with blowback on Hoopsfix All-Star Classic selection
44:01 The European experience; competing in the EYBL, how it first came about and the journey
50:55 The format of the EYBL and how the competition works
55:51 Dealing with loading of the extra games and managing the domestic season too
58:56 The feeling of winning the EYBL regular season title and what it meant for Neal personally
1:02:55 The state of the academy leagues, talk of 'super academies' and the direction they are heading
1:08:45 What Neal would do if he was Head of Performance for the federation to grow elite talent
1:13:22 The dilution of the EABL and the ABL
1:14:57 The impact of COVID-19 on the coming season

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 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.

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!

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