British basketball’s talent pool could dry up within a decade unless a bitter row between the sport’s top league and the game’s governing body is resolved.
NBA stars like Brooklyn Nets’ Geordie forward Tosan Evbuomwan could find their path to fame and fortune blocked as a high stakes power struggle heads to the High Court.
And a league that spawned leading NBA playcallers Nick Nurse and Chris Finch is in danger of losing its status as a proven breeding ground for coach development.
‘The situation is critical,’ admitted Andy Webb, COO of Super League Basketball (SLB) – the country’s top-flight professional league.
‘Tosan is the perfect example of a player who came through the Newcastle Eagles Academy, was supported by the club’s community coaches and now flies the flag for emerging British talent in the NBA.
‘If clubs like Newcastle are not allowed to operate fairly and freely – after investing in basketball development for more than 30 years – then the next generational talent could be missed.’
British basketball’s rising stars find themselves caught in the centre of a power struggle
NBA stars like Tosan Evbuomwan could see their pathways blocked amid the ongoing dispute
SLB and the British Basketball Federation (BBF) have been at loggerheads over the future of UK hoops since last autumn.
Following a controversial tender process, the BBF is refusing to recognise SLB’s status and continues to try to block clubs from recruiting overseas players or entering FIBA-accredited European competitions.
Earlier this year the BBF controversially awarded an exclusive 15-year licence to the Marshall Glickman-fronted Great British Basketball League (GBBL) – a move that prompted the SLB to take legal action.
London law firm Freshfields is representing the SLB – which is wholly owned by its member clubs including Newcastle – with legal papers accusing the BBF of breaking both UK competition law and international basketball rules.
But an outraged BBF ‘vehemently denies the allegations’ and has since launched a counter claim through Onside Law – the legal firm which helped the England and Wales Cricket Board sell stakes in The Hundred franchises. A statement went on to say: ‘The BBF is confident that it has acted as a responsible national governing body, in line with its obligations as a FIBA Member Federation, to serve the best interests of basketball in Great Britain.’
Undaunted, bullish SLB bosses are fighting back and the new domestic season will tip off as planned next month with the full fixture list confirmed last week.
‘One of the many things at stake here is a tried and tested player pathway that promotes homegrown players and has always worked in tandem with the national federation – even extending to hosting national team events,’ added Paul Blake, owner of the Eagles.
Philadelphia 76ers head coach Nick Nurse made his way into the NBA via British basketball
Minnesota Timberwolves’ Chris Finch is another shining light for coach development in the UK
‘If our professional clubs are prevented from signing overseas players, competing in leading European competition and denied the opportunity to broker potentially transformative sponsorship and media deals then that will eventually impact player development.’
Blake and his fellow owners have no objection to the BBF granting a licence to a rival professional league.
But none of SLB’s nine franchises will join former Portland Trail Blazers president Glickman in his GBBL venture – a league that currently has no clubs or venues prior to its 2026 launch.
‘All we want is a level playing field and the opportunity to build on the fantastic work that’s been done in loyal basketball communities for many, many years,’ added Blake. ‘The High Court action was a last resort.’
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