• Home
• News

2 October 2022  13 min read

Black History Month: The pioneers who helped to shape British basketball

A far from exhaustive list, we look at all levels of the game to recognise people who made a real impact, as pioneers, role models and inspirations for others to follow.

Jimmy Rogers

The inspirational Rogers left his mark in South London, but his influence stretched far and wide throughout the sport.

As the founder of Brixton Topcats, Rogers built a programme that not only nurtured some of the country’s leading talents, but also offered an opportunity for so many more to fall in love with the game.

Tough, straight-talking and generous to the core, Rogers passed away in 2018 at the age of 78.

During his time at Brixton he helped to shape the careers of players such as Luol Deng, ex-WNBAer Andrea Congreaves, plus Great Britain players including Justin Robinson, Eric Boateng and Matthew Bryan-Amaning.

Deng said: “Jimmy is Brixton. He has done so much for the community helping thousands of kids get off the streets and do something constructive with their lives.”

Andrea Congreaves

It’s hard to find a player across the sport with a CV that compares to Congreaves’, male or female.

Hailed as one of the greatest women to play the game from these shores, she is:

• A Commonwealth Games bronze medallist
• The first British woman to play in the WNBA, with 84 appearances over her first three seasons
• A highly successful professional with stops in Italy, Spain, Turkey and France
• A multiple winner of the WNBL Division One with Rhondda Rebels

She has also enjoyed coaching roles in the NBL, including Mansfield Giants and University of Nottingham.

Mike Shaft

An instantly recognisable voice to basketball fans across the country, Shaft has been involved with the sport for decades.

After moving to the UK from Grenada in 1968, Shaft’s work across radio and television eventually led him to becoming Sky Sports’ lead basketball commentator in the mid-1990s.

Shaft still works in the sport, carrying out the play-by-play duties for both the Sheffield Sharks and Cheshire Phoenix in the BBL whilst continuing to operate as a highly respected broadcaster, presenter and announcer.

Find Out More About Mike Shaft

Sadie Mason MBE

As a 10-year England international from 1984 to 1994, Mason has been involved in the game at all levels for most of her life.

A former GB Students player at the World University games of 1983, ’85 and ’87, Mason has more recently become a prominent Team Manager, working with the GB and England Under-18s between 2012 and 2018.

A University of Brighton graduate and the CEO of Active Sussex, Mason still has the basketball bug and is the current captain of the GB Masters Women’s team.

Recognised for her contribution to sports development, she was awarded an MBE in 2014.

Find Out More About Sadie Mason MBE

John Amaechi OBE

Another high achiever on and off the court, Amaechi was an NBA star with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Orlando Magic and Utah Jazz, played 18 times for England and won a bronze medal at the 2006 Commonwealth Games.

Born in Boston but raised in Heaton Moor, Stockport, his career also involved stops in France, Greece, Italy and the BBL as he cemented a legacy as one of the best big men this country has produced before returning home to invest in the grass roots of the game in Manchester.

Outspoken and articulate on equality issues, Amaechi now enjoys a successful career in psychology, and is a member of both the American Psychological Association and the British Psychological Society. His company, Amaechi Performance Systems, is a well-known consultancy firm that helps organisations improve leadership, communication and diversity.

Temi Fágbénlé

Still currently flourishing in her playing career, Fágbénlé has already established her legacy as one of the Great Britain’s best ever.

As part of the Minnesota Lynx, the Londoner won the WNBA title in 2017, making her the only Brit to win an NBA or WNBA championship.

The talented forward - a Harvard graduate - continues to be an integral member of the GB Women’s side that came an impressive fourth at the 2019 EuroBasket Women, eventually being chosen as one the tournament’s All-Star team after averaging over 20ppg throughout the competition.

She also recently added to an illustrious list of titles in her pro career after helping Mersin win the Turkish Cup as Finals MVP.

An impressive CV with plenty more to come.

Kevin Cadle

As an incredibly decorated coach in England as well as Scotland, Cadle collected 17 BBL trophies including five league titles, five play-off crowns and five cup wins. North of the border, he won the Scottish Cup and play-offs twice each, while also piling up an astonishing seven English Cup wins.

Through the 80s and 90s, Cadle was synonymous with success and was recognised as Coach of the Year in England or Scotland nine times over a 12-year period. He also took charge of the England Men’s team from 1991-1993, and GB Men in 1991/92.

After retiring in 1997, Cadle became a popular and successful TV presenter for Sky Sports, covering a number of sports including basketball and American Football. The basketball community was deeply saddened in October 2017 when the much-loved American died unexpected at the age of 62.

Robert ‘Dip’ Donaldson

A familiar name around the West Midlands and beyond, ‘Dip’ Donaldson helped to put Coventry Crusaders on the NBL map in the mid-90s.

Following stints in the BBL with Leicester and Manchester, averaging 17.5ppg in 1988/89, Donaldson led the Crusaders to an NBL league and playoff double in 1993/94 at the age of 34.

Coventry would remain a force for a number of years as Donaldson continued to wow NBL fans, before the talented forward eventually moving into an off-court role.

Donaldson’s son Sydney turned out for Reading Rockets in NBL D1 as recently as 2018/19, with Dip now the President and CEO of Crusader International Basketball, a non-profit basketball academy and coaching company.

Patricia Fairclough OBE

An unmistakable presence the length and breadth of the country, Patricia has been involved in the sport in a variety of roles for over 50 years.

As an administrator, table official, tutor, regional chair, All Girls advocate and more, Patricia is as talented as she is well known across the basketball community.

Awarded an OBE for services to basketball in the 2000 New Year’s Honours List, she has helped to develop and nurture thousands of players, officials and volunteers that now help the sport to grow and flourish.

Steve Bucknall

The trailblazing first Englishman to play in the NBA, Bucknall started as a junior at Crystal Palace before moving to America and the University of North Carolina.

After being drafted by the LA Lakers, he went on to enjoy a lengthy career both domestically and across Europe that also involved a 2006 Commonwealth Games bronze medal.

Now a well-respected coach, Bucknall oversaw the England U18 Men’s side that gained promotion to Division A in 2012, before earning a highly respectable ninth place finish in the top tier in 2013.

Bucknall now works as Basketball England’s lead on all things performance, overseeing the next wave of talent that hopes to follow in his footsteps and one day crack the NBA.

Alton Byrd

Born in San Francisco California, Byrd is fondly remembered for a pro career that spanned the 1970s, 80s and 90s.

With productive stops in the NBL, BBL, and north of the border in Scotland, he won multiple titles with legendary coach Kevin Cadle at Kingston and dominated the NBL with Crystal Palace.

With exceptional court visions and a vast array of passes in his arsenal, Byrd is a name frequently mentioned in the conversation on the greatest BBL players of all time.

Whilst his skills wowed on the court, his charisma and approachable attitude shone through off it, working in the media for a number of organisations to promote the sport wherever possible. That combination helped to drive the game forward during what was basketball’s most successful era on these shores.

Since his retirement, Byrd has enjoyed front office positions with the Sacramento Kings and Brooklyn Nets in the NBA and Atlanta Dream in the WNBA.

Azania Stewart

A GB centurion that needs little introduction, Azania Stewart is one of the leading female players in modern British basketball.

After making her senior GB debut in 2009, the hugely talented forward has since become an Olympian, played in three EuroBasket competitions and won a silver medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Throughout her playing career she enjoyed club stops in Spain, Australia, Hungary and Latvia, playing in the EuroCup and winning two domestic titles.

She came out of retirement in recent years, later leading London Lions to a WBBL clean sweep in 2021/22 as well as returning to the GB ranks.

Austin Grant

With contributions that span across decades, Austin Grant has made a huge impact on basketball across the Midlands.

As a coach, official, mentor and everything in between, Grant has helped to shape and support thousands of young players, coaches and officials across Nottinghamshire. The infrastructure he helped to create through a network of clubs, schools and programmes is still developing today, with the area’s love for the sport continuing to grow.

In 2013 as recognition for his tireless efforts, Grant was awarded the Lifetime Contribution to Sport & Physical Activity award by the city of Nottingham.

Dale Aitcheson

A well-known face to basketball fans across the country, Dale Aitcheson has been one of the top referees in England for over 20 years.

In May 2000, Aitcheson became England’s first black FIBA referee, successfully completing the FIBA exam clinic whilst earning plaudits from the panel of assessors for his ability.

With hundreds of appointments to his name both domestically and across Europe, the Nottingham man has overseen more BBL showpieces than anyone else. With 19 appearances and counting (eight play-off finals, four cup finals and seven trophy finals), he continues to be incredibly well-respected across the sport.

Ronnie and Stedroy Baker

A highly talented pair of brothers that help inspire a generation of basketballers to get involved in the sport, what Ronnie and Stedroy Baker achieved after starting out at Brixton was quite incredible.

Ronnie remains England’s most capped player with an incredible 156 appearances, the legendary guard won a bronze medal at the 2006 Commonwealth Games to go with a hatful of awards and honours across the British game.

Stedroy also enjoyed a lengthy and productive career, playing in the BBL for Birmingham, Sheffield, Leicester and others before closing his career at Derby in the NBL. He also collected 14 international caps, with the first coming against Denmark in 1991.

Andrea Boreland

Well known and respected for her significant contribution to the sport across London, Andrea Norton has been able to help, influence and develop young players for decades.

With strong roots in both Haringey and Hackney, Norton has worked with hundreds of talented players that have gone on to enjoy significant success, including Darius Defoe and Perry Lawson.

Undertaking more recent roles for the London region, including as a team manager, Norton continues to work tirelessly on a local level to encourage the next generation of talent into the game. 

Andrea sadly passed away in 2021.

Tony Hanson MBE

A familiar and much-loved face across the NBL, the late Tony Hanson did an enormous amount for basketball in the North East.

A former pro player in both the USA and Europe, Hanson was instrumental in pushing Tees Valley Mohawks to five successive NBL championships as the club spent two decades as a force at the top level.

Tony also set up his own company, putting his degree in special education to use in co-ordinating a community-based sport and educational initiative to help young people with educational problems, using basketball as a vehicle to address teenage health and community issues.

He was awarded an MBE in 2007 as recognition for his contribution to sport and the community in Teesside.

Sadly, Tony passed away in 2018 at the age of 63.

Tony Hanson talks to his Tees Valley players. Mansoor Ahmed

Claude Bandawe

After founding Leeds Tigers Basketball Club in the 1980s, Claude Bandawe helped to create a safe place for youngsters to enjoy basketball and develop as people.

Forced to flee Malawi in 1975, Bandawe is proud to call Leeds home and takes great pride in the decades that he spent developing both the sport and his local area.

“All my life I’ve dedicated myself to helping young people, and I’m still helping them now to find their way in life and achieve better things,” says Claude.

In 2010, Bandawe was presented with The Leeds Award for his ongoing commitment to youth sport in the city, and he was the first black person to be nominated for the award.

Caroline Charles

An unmistakable character known both throughout London and across junior basketball, Caroline Charles has spent years elevating the women’s game and developing some highly talented players in one of the most deprived areas of the country.

Her work as a teacher and the roles she fulfils through Newham Youngbloods have allowed Charles to help develop players from all walks of life, progressing them both on and off the court.

"A lot of the skills I have discovered on the basketball court can be attributed to situations that will cross your paths in real life,” said Charles.

Alongside her work in the Jnr. NBL, Charles has also coached the England U16 girls while collecting numerous domestic honours as a coach.

Karl Brown

Well known as both a player and a coach, Karl Brown currently calls the Midlands his home as the Director of Basketball and Head Coach of Leicester Warriors.

As the first Englishman to make the NCAA Final Fours in 1987 with Georgia Tech, Brown earned a reputation as an incredible on ball defender that could lock down any player. Those talents plus significant offensive skills led to a lengthy and honour-laden career in the BBL plus 27 caps for GB and 51 more for England.

Karl is now a respected coach, working both in the NBL and with age group national teams. He led the England U18 Men to Division A in 2012, and most recently worked with the GB U20 Men.

Benny Bonsu

A hugely influential and well-respected broadcaster and producer, Bonsu’s work in basketball has been seen and enjoyed across the world.

Pushing the sport to all corners of the media landscape, Bonsu has worked for the BBC, Sky Sports, BT Sport, IMG Euro League and more throughout a decorated broadcast career.

As a well-known voice on the NBA, BBL and all things basketball through The Drop show and podcast, Bonsu’s impact on the sport is significant.

In May 2019, Bonsu was co-opted to the Basketball England Executive Board.

Steve Nelson

Starting out in West Bromwich, Steve Nelson’s impact on basketball has been significant both on and off the court.

After signing his first professional contract at 19 with Portsmouth, Nelson enjoyed a BBL career that spanned from 1987 all the way through to 2000 with stops in Sunderland, Worthing, Chester and more.

Now a successful CEO with the West of England Sports Trust, the talented former guard has still been impacting the sport through work with both Worthing and Sussex Storm.

Steve Nelson talks to HoopsFix