With European youth tournaments in progress, The MVP Cast looks at our next generation of talented males. US-based Brit, coach and scout Chris Mayes, and stats guru / talent spotter Dave Owen join Mark Woods to go over the names on a trajectory to the top and we assess how the forecasting progress works and who is flagged up as ones to watch. More …

The MVP Cast looks ahead to EuroBasket Women 2023 and examines Great Britain's chances. We get the thoughts of head coach Chema Buceta and new captain Temi Fagbenle - plus Hannah Robb and Erin McGarrachan go deep on their pathways to Slovenia and the expectations from within the camp. More at mvp247.com…

Great Britain centre Kirsty Brown joins the MVP Cast. With less than a week before FIBA EuroBasket Women 2023 begins, we catch up with the Leicester Riders star on progress on the road to Slovenia. She tells us about the long round trip from Edinburgh to California and back to these shores, her drive to turn pro and the hopes of a new generation of…

A rough and ready episode of the MVP Cast from The 02 as London Lions make it a double over Leicester Riders in the BBL and WBBL Playoff Finals - as we hear from Ryan Schmidt, Darien Nelson-Henry, Krumesh Patel, Azania Stewart and Stella Kaltsidou.Av Britball Media

London Lions men's head coach Ryan Schmidt joins the MVP Cast. He tells Mark Woods about the learning curve undertaken last season and in mixing with old hands in the EuroCup and the opportunities it has afforded him. We head back to the start of his love affair with basketball in Portland and how injuries took him from playing in the minor leagues…

MCing legend Simon Hosannah joins the MVP Cast. He tells Mark Woods about how he fell into announcing basketball, the big names and big games where he's been the man on the mic, and the work it takes to put on a show. But he also reveals the mammoth change in his life that's put him in a contest of his own - and why it's led him to retire from cour…

WBBL chair Jim Saker joins the MVP Cast to talk State of the League. Plus reaction following the 2023 BBL and WBBL Trophy finals. Hannah Robb tells us why Leicester Riders will be back, Shanice Beckford-Norton looks inside London Lions win, Azania Stewart explains her retirement - and why she may not be quite ready to finish up. And following Caled…

Caledonia Gladiators and Ivory Coast big Patrick Tapé joins the MVP Cast.----more---- Amid March Madness, he tells us about his own college days which began with combining books and basketball at Ivy League Columbia University, ended with a stint off the streets of San Francisco, and crammed in a spell under Coach K at Duke University. He recounts …

Bristol Flyers guard Jelani Watson-Gayle joins the MVP Cast. He tells us about his transformation from being a footballing hopeful with Leyton Orient to throwing his all into basketball - with huge assists from his mother and older brother. We talk the learnings to becoming a leader, the confidence he gained from going to the States at age 15 that'…

Durham Palatinates centre Harriet Ottewill-Soulsby joins the MVP Cast. She tells Mark Woods about the globetrotting odyssey that saw her grow up across Europe but left her hunting for proper roots in this post-Brexit time. She reveals the rationale behind her decision to return to the Women's British Basketball League, her early leap into the game …

Manchester Giants wing Dirk Williams joins the MVP Cast. He tells Mark Woods about combining fatherhood with basketball and the life lessons learnt while growing up in Alabama with hoop dreams. We relive the dunks that won him trans-Atlantic fame and the move he has in mind next. And why a players-only meeting in Manchester can be the spark for the…

British basketball's numbers guru Dave Owen joins the MVP Cast.----more---- He tells Mark Woods about his drive to chronicle the stats of all our players at home and abroad to give them the recognition they deserve. We talk about his tech development and a push to provide insights that complement what we watch on screen - and how the numbers define…

Kofi Josephs and Oliver Lawrie join the MVP Cast to discuss their new Mental Health Charter for Basketball.----more---- Kofi tells Mark Woods about how his own lived experience left him to set up his 'Why Not I?' organisation to raise awareness of the issues and how talking about it openly has led to other players and basketball staff talking to hi…

New British Basketball League CEO Aaron Radin joins the MVP Cast.----more---- He tells Mark Woods about a strategy to transform the BBL into a "premier content and entertainment organisation" through raising the standards of teams, game night experience, and its broadcast product. He talks us through the learnings from his previous roles, why expan…

Great Britain forward Jordan Williams joins the MVP Cast.----more---- He dishes all on his current posting with Hungarian side Hubner, the local cuisine and attractions, and the art of packing light and quick when a new overseas basketball assignment comes up. He tells Mark Woods of the influence of his mother in taking life choices that saw him he…

Newcastle Eagles guard Denzel Ubiaro joins the MVP Cast.----more---- He tells Mark Woods about his big screen stunt role as the double of Thanasis Antetokounmpo in the Disney movie 'Rise' - and the route that took him from random message to filming in Athens inside a few days. We talk about his globetrotting life as a kid to the collapse of his own…

Sheffield Hatters and Great Britain guard Georgia Gayle joins the MVP Cast.----more---- She tells Mark Woods about the passing off the torch to a new generation of homespun heroines and we discuss GB's recent EuroBasket Women qualifiers. We explore her family tree at the Hatters from her late grandmother Betty to her parents and aunt, to her cousin…

Leicester Riders and Great Britain guard Patrick Whelan joins the MVP Cast.----more---- He tells Mark Woods about the brotherly battles that have driven him to succeed, the tragedy that shaped his approach to life and the secret basketball accomplishment within his own family. He details the learning curve that transported him from Warrington to Sp…

Sheffield Sharks guard Rodney Glasgow Jr joins the MVP Cast.----more---- He tells Mark Woods about his upbringing as a child of two distinct American cities, the choices he made, and the influences that brought to bear. We discuss society on both sides of the Atlantic and its attitude to racism, the military discipline that helped him shine on the …

Cheshire Phoenix centre Mike Ochereobia joins the MVP Cast.----more---- He tells Mark Woods about his late start in basketball that followed a teenage stint in the boxing ring that knocked him into shape. He reveals his creative side and the release it gives him away from the court, and the secret passion from his youth. More at mvp247.com. Sponsor…

EuroLeague and BBL referee Ed Udyanskyy joins the MVP Cast.----more---- He tells Mark Woods about the 36-hour bus journey that took him from Kiev to London and diverted him on a path towards refereeing - and his progression to become our top export into the officiating ranks. And he shares the trials and tribulations of watching a war unfold in his…

Harlem Globetrotters legend Sweet Lou Dunbar joins the MVP Cast.----more---- He tells Mark Woods about the impact that the team has made globally on the sport and the importance it has had for African-American basketballers in particular. We chat on the DNA of the Globetrotter that mashes entertainment and hoops and he reels off his perfect five re…

Martin Ford joins the MVP Cast.----more---- He tells Mark Woods about the life of being a leading FIBA Commissioner and his summer ride to the EuroBasket final. We learn about his journey from being Nick Nurse's minibus driver and an England international to overseeing officiating in the British Basketball League and how the bar can now be raised f…

Mark Woods is joined by Dan Routledge to preview the new British Basketball League season.----more----We assess the upswing of the BBL with new investment taking shape - and new investors coming in - and cast an eye over each of ten teams. And ask the question: can anyone stop London Lions from a domestic clean sweep?…

Mark Woods and guests preview FIBA EuroBasket 2022 on the MVP Cast. We chat to Great Britain coach Nate Reinking, and co-captains Dan Clark and Myles Hesson, about their hopes for the group stages in Milan and examine GB's opponents. And we look at the other sides hoping to make an impact in the tournament. More at MVP247.com…

Mark Woods is joined by four of the home stars prepping for 3x3 basketball at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. Scotland women's Claire Paxton, England men's Kayne Henry, England women's Chantelle Handy tell us about their journey to Brum while Scotland men's player-coach Gareth Murray reveals that this is his last stop. More at mvp247.com…

Newly-retired Janice Monakana joins the MVP Cast. She tells Mark Woods about the emotions in playing her final game in Sevenoaks Suns' defeat in the WBBL Playoff final and why the inadequate salaries in British basketball contributed to her decision to call time and plot a radical career change. We look back on her journey and how the death of her …

We preview the 2022 BBL and WBBL Playoff Finals on the MVP Cast. Mark Woods is joined by Leicester Riders head coach Rob Paternostro and London Lions boss Nikhil Lawry to look ahead to their duel at London's The 02 Arena - and Lions' Kennedy Leonard and Sevenoaks Suns' Cat Carr give us their insights on Sunday's WBBL finale. More at mvp247.com…

Leicester Riders' newly-crowned BBL Player of the Year Geno Crandall joins the MVP Cast. He tells Mark Woods the secret behind his team's success this term and the decision process that will determine whether he stays or moves on. We explore the different dynamic between his time at North Dakota and NCAA powerhouse Gonzaga University and how it's s…

Loughborough's Carl Ntifo joins the MVP Cast. He tells Mark Woods about opting to tell his story as an openly gay basketballer and the differences he wants to see to make the sport a safer place for the LGBT community. We talk about his experiences on both sides of the Atlantic, his aspirations now he's ending his student days - and what, as a tecc…

London Lions guard Shanice Beckford-Norton joins the MVP Cast. She tells Mark Woods about the culture of the WBBL leaders as they chase a domestic clean sweep and her relentless drive for self-improvement. The Great Britain international reveals the importance of family influences amid her journey through basketball and talks about her role as a co…

Surrey Scorchers guard Caylin Raftopoulos joins the MVP Cast. He tells Mark Woods about his dual identity as a Zimbabwean-Brit and the complications he found in trying his luck in the USA as a teen. He reveals his plans to retire from playing to focus fully on building a basketball academy and dealing with Surrey's struggles in the BBL this season.…

Ex-BBL player turned Sky Sports analyst Anthony Rowe joins the MVP Cast. He tells us about his transition from title-winning player at Leicester Riders to broadcasting, and now a career as a wealth management consultant and preparing to make a successful switch when injuries began to mount. He details his love of hometown club Plymouth Raiders and …

Gloucester City Queens guard Claire Abbott joins the MVP Cast. She tells Mark Woods about life, basketball and work in Yukon, the remotest part of Canada where her alternative mission was to address society's problems there as a social worker. Claire reveals why she had an itch to scratch to play pro hoops, being part of a WBBL start-up ... and how…

Great Britain forward Carl Wheatle joins the MVP Cast. He tells Mark Woods about how he was forced to grow up early after the death of his father and moving to Italy but how choosing to make his life abroad gave him a head start. He reveals the secrets of success of the Italian system, his feelings about being tabbed as a future GB captain, and wha…

Conor Meany joins the MVP Cast. He tells Mark Woods about his new book - Hoops Across The Ocean: The Rise and Fall of the Irish basketball team - which chronicles the era where Ireland was transformed by the arrival of Irish-Americans and NBA-calibre talent but conflicted by the impact it had on homegrown players. We assess the long-term implicatio…

Caledonia Pride guard Maud Ranger joins the MVP Cast. She tells Mark Woods about opting out of the French basketball system and testing herself in a smaller college in the USA, being inspired by the successes of her compatriots, her entrepreneurial streak and wanting to make it big in the music industry - and pushing for improvement in the WBBL. Mo…

Manchester Giants guard Josh Steel joins the MVP Cast. He tells Mark Woods about just why he created a video to look at solutions to the problems in British basketball and how to use social media to promote his brand - and that of the sport. We talk about his choices in quitting college early in the USA to pursue a pro career in Europe, how he plan…

Durham Palatinates forward Abby Lowe joins the MVP Cast. She tells Mark Woods about growing up in France and a journey that's led her from Britain to the USA and to parts in between. She describes the mental health issues that came from an unhappy collegiate spell, re-discovering her love for basketball in the WBBL, her 3x3 experiences and those wi…

Plymouth City Patriots guard Joe Hart joins the MVP Cast. He talks to Mark Woods about his famous namesake, his international basketball days, the twists and turns of building a career in Europe after passing up US colleges, and how he is planning to bed down in the BBL. More at mvp247.comAv Britball Media

Bristol Flyers centre Shane Walker joins the MVP Cast. He tells about his first forays into coaching, how it fits into his drive to gives kids positive role models and a sense of well-being - and why he's bought land in Ghana as part of a long-term project there. We discuss the joy and pain of trying to make it big in the USA, playing with Kevin Du…

Oaklands Wolves player-coach Lauren Milligan joins the MVP Cast. She tells Mark Woods about becoming the youngest playcaller in the Women's British Basketball League and nurturing wins with developing young talent at Oaklands Basketball Academy on and off the court. We explore her route through the sport, the mentors who have helped her, her ambiti…

Surrey Scorchers forward Tayo Ogedengbe joins the MVP Cast. He tells Mark Woods about honest conversations about racism with his three young sons and how the BBL's Players Voice initiative has a role to play in addressing issues. We chat about the concept of a players union and how the British Basketball League might develop, his own pathway in the…

Great Britain guard Dwayne Lautier-Ogunleye joins the MVP Cast. He tells Mark Woods about being a child of London, and of France, and the cross-capital switches that took him to Bristol, then college, and then the pros. We talk about social media in the world of basketball, dealing with injuries, and GB's forthcoming FIBA World Cup qualifiers again…

Sheffield Sharks centre Bennett Koch joins the MVP Cast. He tells Mark Woods about the ebbs and flows of his three years in the British Basketball League, the family brotherhood that propelled him and his siblings onto the court, trash talking, playing overseas and how he likes to unwind .... with a hike. More at MVP247.com. Sponsored by TeamSportz…

Tech guru Francisco Baptista joins the MVP Cast. The founder and CEO of Team Sports talks to us about how AI and data are transforming sports at grassroots and pro levels, how his new App aims to alter the way players and coaches are able to develop their basketball game, where the next step in tech will be, and how he was inspired by his upbringin…

Sheffield Hatters forward Helen Naylor joins the MVP Cast. She tells Mark Woods about pairing basketball with having her first child last year and the physical and logistical challenges presented by pregnancy and parenting. We explore the role of her basketball-playing family, the flatlining and resurrection of the Hatters and her succession of gre…

Leicester Riders guard Kimbal Mackenzie joins the MVP Cast. He tells Mark Woods about hooping it as a kid in Canada, looking to make it in the NBA and dealing with the loss of that dream. He recounts his switch to Spain, his ambitions to make it big off the court - and getting paid in Bitcoin. More at MVP247.com Sponsored by TeamSportz - www.teamsp…

Glasgow Rocks centre Boban Jacdonmi joins the MVP Cast. He tells Mark Woods about playing catch-up following his late, late start in basketball, how he accelerated his development with a former Harlem Globetrotter in Stoke, his path to the USA through junior college to Division One of the NCAA, his international ambitions, and how he sees his caree…

London Lions guard Josh Ward Hibbert joins the MVP Cast. He tells Mark Woods about his transition to basketball from tennis, his alternative sporting career as a junior Grand Slam champion and the transition from one to the other. We talk about his development as a basketballer and the influences that shaped him, and his role on a Lions team starti…