Hoopsfix Podcast - British Basketball with Sam Neter

For Episode 53 of the Hoopsfix Podcast we sit down with former England and GB international, and legend of the game Paul Stimpson.

Stimpson, is not only one of the British game's all-time greats, but post-playing has gone on to an impressive career off the court which saw him become the Managing Director of FIBA Media for over 15 years. 

At the end of last year, he moved over to DAZN (formerly Perform), an over-the-top subscription sports streaming service who have a multi-year deal for FIBA events through until 2033.

Spending the majority of his playing days with Crystal Palace, he also spent a season in Kingston under Kevin Cadle and a year in Solent before pursuing a career in Switzerland.
 
In this near two hour episode, hear from Paul on:

• How he first started playing basketball
• Joining the Crystal Palace program underneath the legendary Roy Packham
• Getting his first England Senior call up as a 19 year old
• Playing for Crystal Palace whilst at university, with his first 'pro' deal being a car
• The debate around dual nationals and representing the national team
• Juggling playing basketball whilst working jobs
• Going up against Alton Byrd every day at practice with Crystal Palace
• Leading England past a Greek side that featured Nick Galis in 1981 (Stimpson led the team in scoring with 22 points)
• The importance of national teams having enough preparation time 
• Whether or not players were aspiring to go to the US in that era
• The Crystal Palace School of Basketball and discovering Andrea Congreaves
• Basketball in England having a stronger culture in the 80s than now and why
• How important a digital and social media strategy is for basketball programmes 
• What netball have done in England to experience success with fans and on TV
• The struggles British basketball has with getting on TV
• The need to get numerous people who used to play connected with the game again
• Meeting his wife through basketball
• Retiring from playing the game at 30 to pursue a career with ISL in Switzerland which included working with FIBA
• Heading up FIBA Media's operations working with broadcasters and rights-holders globally for FIBA's flagship events
• BCP's huge upset over Kingston in the playoff final at Wembley in 1987
• The need for basketball factions across the UK to come together as one
• And much, much more!

Follow @PaulStimpson2 on Twitter and Instagram @paul.stimpson.

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 52 of the Hoopsfix Podcast, we sit down with Great Britain guard and esteemed pro, Ogo Adegboye.

Originally from the Brixton Topcats programme under the legendary Jimmy Rogers, Adegboye carved out a successful near-decade long career for himself in the pros, whilst becoming GB's starting point guard in the run up the London 2012 Olympics.

In this hour episode, hear from Ogo on:

• How he first got into playing basketball
• Joining the Brixton Topcats programme and community
• Coming up with the likes of Justin Robinson, Matthew Bryan-Amaning and Eric Boateng
• Getting to the US and his awful first experience at Laurenburg Institute
• Joining Findlay Prep and being a part of their first ever basketball program
• How his first NCAA Division 1 look fell through at the last minute and he ended up having to find a school within a week
• JUCO, attending Lamar Community College and leading them to their first ever national tournament appearance
• Signing Division 1 and why he wanted to go to St Bonaventures
• Turning pro and having regrets about the agent he first signed with
• His first professional job in Cyprus
• The Great Britain Senior Men's programme and playing under Chris Finch
• Finding out he was the last cut of the London 2012 Olympic team
• His relationship with the national team programme
• And much, much more!

Follow @OgoAde on Twitter and Instagram.

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.

Whilst the world is locked down during the coronavirus pandemic, two British basketball stars, Luol Deng and Pops Mensah-Bonsu, set up a series of live discussions, hosted on Instagram Live, which we have been granted to re-post on our Hoopsfix Podcast feed. 

In Episode 10, aired on April 22nd 2020, it was the grand finale which went almost three hours and it was straight Q&A, as they answered questions from fans.

Hear from the pair on:

• Whether or not Luol does his own laundry
• How Luol has not shot a basketball since retiring, but has joined a local football league
• What constitutes success for both of them
• Whether or not they would invest in a UK team
• Whether there are any quotes they live by
• What advice they would give to their younger selves
• The biggest misconceptions about being an NBA player
• The importance of mental health
• Pops on learning how to play a role and focusing on rebounding
• The importance of being surrounded by the right people and support system
• The biggest challenges the Basketball Africa League faces
• How Tacko Fall ended up as a translator on his first trip to Senegal 
• The challenges of getting government involved to fund basketball programs
• Who their biggest inspirations were growing up
• How Pops ended up in handcuffs the night before the AAU Nationals
• And much, much, more!

Follow @LuolDeng9 and @PopsMBonsu on Instagram.

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.

Whilst the world is locked down during the coronavirus pandemic, two British basketball stars, Luol Deng and Pops Mensah-Bonsu, set up a series of live discussions, hosted on Instagram Live. We hit their team up to ask if they would be happy for us to record and publish online and we got the green light!

In Episode 9, aired on April 20th 2020, they did a part 2 to the future of Africa, talking about the continent, favourite places to visit/live, the Basketball Africa League, and answered questions from fans.

Follow @LuolDeng9 and @PopsMBonsu on Instagram.

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.

Whilst the world is locked down during the coronavirus pandemic, two British basketball stars, Luol Deng and Pops Mensah-Bonsu, set up a series of live discussions, hosted on Instagram Live, which we are now re-posting on the Hoopsfix podcast feed with permission.

In Episode 8, aired on April 17th 2020, they spoke about a cause particularly close to their heart - the plight of Africa, how they both view the continent and their respective countries - South Sudan and Ghana, the Basketball Africa League (BAL), what they are doing in both and what they envision for the future.

Follow @LuolDeng9 and @PopsMBonsu on Instagram.

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.

With the world locked down during the coronavirus pandemic, two British basketball stars, Luol Deng and Pops Mensah-Bonsu, continued with their Instagram live discussions, which we have been granted permission to post on the Hoopsfix Podcast feed.

In Episode 7, aired on April 15th 2020, they spoke about life after basketball, their respective decisions to retire, how difficult it is to not be playing anymore, and what they are currently doing - Pops as the GM of the Capital City Gogo and Luol as the President of the South Sudanese Basketball Federation, along with what they are doing with their money, how they approach investing and business decisions.

Follow @LuolDeng9 and @PopsMBonsu on Instagram.

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.

Whilst the world is locked down during the coronavirus pandemic, two British basketball stars, Luol Deng and Pops Mensah-Bonsu, set up a series of live discussions, hosted on Instagram Live, and have granted us permission to repost on the Hoopsfix podcast feed.

In Episode 6, aired on April 13th 2020, it was the one we've all been waiting for, as they spoke about British Basketball, the Great Britain set up in the run up to the London 2012 Olympics, and more.

Hear from the duo on:

• The build up to London 2012, helping the GB program rise through the ranks
• Having to earn their spot at the London 2012 Olympics, and not qualifying automatically as the host nation unlike every other sport
• The issues around insuring Luol Deng's contract to play for the national team
• Some of the experiences on the road around Europe and the more precarious situations
• How they fed off each other as leaders of the GB team
• When their relationship with the programme started going downhill
• Their regrets about not voicing opinions on lack of coaching staff from the inner cities
• How they felt too many staff involved with the program were there for the money and not the love
• How they felt the Olympics was a huge opportunity to change the game in the country
• Their frustrations around funding of the programme from UK Sport
• Not being involved in the decision making and not feeling like their voices were being heard
• Luol asking GB to be a part of his camp and them not ever getting involved
• How Pops got rejected from an application to be on the Basketball England board for not being qualified
• What Jimmy Rogers taught Luol Deng about life
• Joe White's training regime with Pops
• Luol's frustration with the cost of facility-hire in London
• How they both want to see British basketball grow
• The process of hiring an agent
• Pops being regularly recognised as football player Yaya Toure
• Facing off against Team USA in Manchester, and what happened when they saw Kobe out the night before the game
• What they would do to build British basketball
• What their workout regimes looked like as pros
• Experiences at the London 2012 Olympics and being in the Olympic Village
• The sacrifices they have made for the game
• And much, much more!

Follow @LuolDeng9 and @PopsMBonsu on Instagram.

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.

Whilst the world is locked down during the coronavirus pandemic, two British basketball stars, Luol Deng and Pops Mensah-Bonsu, have been recording a series of live discussions, hosted on Instagram Live, and with their permission we are reposting to the Hoopsfix Podcast feed.

In Episode 5, aired on April 10th 2020, they did a part two on life in the pros, predominantly answering questions from fans.

Here from the pair on:

• Pops dealing with being cut from teams and how much it hurt in his early career
• How Pops was protesting the NBA when first getting to Italy, refusing to wear any NBA branded clothing
• Luol processing being traded and how much it hurt after feeling he had given so much to Chicago
• Luol Deng addressing the racist situation with the Atlanta Hawks' Danny Ferry and how he approached it
• Advice they would have for someone trying to get their young children into basketball
• The role of mentorship and who has provided guidance to both Luol and Pops
• Pops' experience in the G-League and how he got called up by the Bulls and almost played with Luol
• Both of their experience of racism playing in Europe 
• The mismanagement of Luol's spinal tap by medical staff and how it put his life in jeopardy
• How Chicago gave Luol two days to accept a contract offer mid-season, he didn't want to be rushed into it (having tried to re-sign in the off-season prior to the season) and ended up getting traded
• What happened with Luol with the LA Lakers, who had originally said they wanted to be a playoff team when he signed before they changed direction to tank
• Luol staying professional in LA, working out and staying ready despite being stuck to the bench
• Pops being released from Toronto and what he had tweeted on the night he could become a free agent
• Pops' situation in Russia with CSKA Moscow - where it was the most money he had earned as a professional athlete - who wouldn't play him consistent minutes or release him to NBA teams
• If any situations in their careers had caused them to want to quit basketball
• What they did in their careers to look after their bodies and perform optimally
• The time Luol's Bulls matched up with Pops' Raptors, and Pops went off - unfortunately Lu wasn't playing
• And much, much more!

Follow @LuolDeng9 and @PopsMBonsu on Instagram.

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.

Whilst the world is locked down during the coronavirus pandemic, two British basketball stars, Luol Deng and Pops Mensah-Bonsu, have been publishing a series of live discussions, hosted on Instagram Live which we have been granted permission to post on the the Hoopsfix podcast feed.

In Episode 4, aired on April 8th 2020, they discussed turning pro, the draft, and playing in the NBA and Europe.

Hear from the pair on:

• Pops making the decision on whether to declare for the draft after his Junior year and the conversation he had with Luol
• Pops not wanting to have a draft party but it ending up being over 40 people there 
• The pain of going undrafted for Pops, hearing his mum cried and using that as a motivator
• Pops being able to sign with the Dallas Mavericks after a strong NBA Summer League performance
• The role Amadou Gallo Fall has played in many African players' basketball experience
• Luol going into the draft being projected top 3, having been initially projected top 20 straight out of High School
• Being in the green room, and with all of the trades happening on draft night, Luol finding out he was dropping down
• Being selected with the 7th pick by the Phoenix Suns, and having the feeling he has made it 
• Luol getting a call to find out he had been traded to Chicago but having to do interviews where the press didn't know yet so running with it
• What happened when Pops got his first NBA pay cheque - a $30,000 sum from the Mavericks and going straight to the mall
• Learning to be more financially diligent throughout their pro careers
• How quickly things had changed for 19 year old Luol; not being able to afford to go to the cinema the night before being drafted
• How Luol was so paranoid about going broke, he was eating his pre-game meal from Subway to save money in his rookie year
• The sense of gratitude Luol has always had from his humble beginnings
• Pops finding out he was cut from the Dallas Mavericks, two minutes before his contract was guaranteed
• Pops learning to embrace his journeyman role and recognising the impact it has had on who he is as a person
• Luol having ten years in Chicago, having not lived anywhere for more than 5 years prior to that
• Deng finding out he was being traded to Cleveland, just after realising where he was in the all-time record boards of the Bulls
• Luol taking a long time to adapt to being traded, and always looking back at what Chicago were doing and thinking what could have been
• Luol settling instantly in Miami, embracing a family atmosphere and feeling more like he was home
• Pops discussing the difference between the NBA and Europe
• Pops' experiences in Italy after being cut from Dallas, and being jumped by fans
• Dealing with injuries; Luol's wrist surgery, and Pops' more than 11 surgeries through his career
• Luol Deng choosing to the Africa t-shirt at the NBA All-Star game, despite it being against league rules
• The impact of being from Africa on their NBA careers
• And much, much more!

Follow @LuolDeng9 and @PopsMBonsu on Instagram.

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.

With the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, two British basketball stars, Luol Deng and Pops Mensah-Bonsu, set up a series of live discussions, hosted on Instagram Live which we are now reposting with permission on the Hoopsfix podcast feed.

In Episode 3, aired on April 6th 2020, they discussed their college experiences - Luol at Duke with Coach K and Pops Mensah-Bonsu at George Washington, with a lot of great stories about the recruitment and March Madness.

Hear from the duo on:

• The rapid rise of Luol's career from making the decision to take basketball seriously at 13, to consider jumping to the NBA straight out of High School 5 years later
• How Luol was considering schools from his last 5 of Duke, Virginia, Indiana, Fairfield, and Missouri. 
• A workout Pops had with his brother, Kojo, after his Junior year where he saw all the holes in his game
• Living in an era before the widespread proliferation of mobile phones
• The impact Pops' older brother Kojo had on guiding him through his career
• The goals Pops set for himself and how he went about achieving them
• When Pops first heard someone ask him if he's coming back to school and realised the NBA is within reach
• How the two had the same goals just very different paths to get there
• The recruitment process and the amount of attention Luol was receiving
• Luol being recruited by every school with private jets, except for Duke
• How Luol and Charlie Villanueva were originally plotting to go to Indiana together and Luol only went to visit Duke because of his father
• Pops last five schools were GW, La Salle, St Joes, Cleveland State and Boston College
• How Luol ended up being the number 2 player in the country and all over Slam Magazine
• Why Luol was determined to not just be a good junior player and having a one-track mind to make it
• Pops having to balance getting a degree whilst preparing for a professional career
• The advice Luol gave Pops when he was considering the NBA draft
• Staying grounded whilst getting endless attention
• Luol's Final Four run in the NCAA Tournament in his Freshman year
• How Luol was initially planning on returning to school for his Sophomore year, it getting back to the coaching staff, only to change his mind and have to tell them he was declaring for the NBA 
• A member of the GW coaching staff finding out Pops was close with Luol and trying to get him to persuade Lu to come to GW
• The first time their parents saw them play basketball
• Whether it's harder to stay humble nowadays for young basketball prospects because of social media
• Humbling experiences they both had in the NBA 
• And much, much, more!

Follow @LuolDeng9 and @PopsMBonsu on Instagram.

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.