Hoopsfix Podcast - British Basketball with Sam Neter

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...

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 w...

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 201...

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...

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,...

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 deta...

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 Guymon Whilst trying to build his experience at a camp in the US, he was told he would need a degree...

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...

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...

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 lan...

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...

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 regul...

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 an...

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 coll...

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 Lea...

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 Counc...

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...

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 l...

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, h...

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...

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 sq...

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,  a...

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...

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 n...

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...