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27 August 2026  7 min read

'We’re building towards something really special' - GB's Quinn Ellis

Ellis returns to the GB squad following a landmark first season in the EuroLeague with Olimpia Milano, where he helped the Italian giants complete a historic domestic treble, while gaining valuable experience competing against some of the best players in Europe.

Now back in national team colours, the Sheffield-born guard is preparing to help GB begin their FIBA EuroBasket 2029 pre-qualifying campaign, with Switzerland first up in Fribourg tonight before the team returns home to face Slovakia in Newcastle on Sunday (30 August).

And after several days of preparation, Ellis believes the level within the current group is as high as he has experienced during his time with the national team.

"Camp has been really positive and the level of competition has been a key part of that. I feel like in terms of recent windows, this is the most competitive camp has been.

"We've been getting up and down the last couple of days a lot, and I feel like everybody’s level has been really high."

The strength of the squad has also given Ellis his first opportunity to share the court with fellow young British talents Amari Williams and Tosan Evbuomwan, with the trio having previously built their careers on separate paths.

Despite their lack of previous experience together at senior international level, Ellis says the transition has been seamless.

"This is my first time playing with Amari and Tosan, but they’re both very high-level players so it has been super easy to connect with them on and off the court," he said.

"We’ve got a lot of game reps in in practice and built a solid understanding and chemistry on the floor, so we have a good feel together going into these two games."

'We share the fans excitement in this roster'

That chemistry, combined with the emergence of a younger generation around established members of the programme, has created a sense of optimism among the group — something Ellis says is also being felt by the players themselves.

"We see the excitement people have for this roster and it just gives us more motivation, honestly," he said.

"We share the fans’ excitement, for sure, because this is a very talented group and that just gives us even more drive to go out there and show what we’re capable of on the way to hopefully winning both games."

The first challenge comes in Switzerland, with Ellis warning against reading too much into their recent results.

"Switzerland will be a very tough game. Their results in qualifying don’t show the full story of their quality as a team. They had a very tough group in World Cup qualifying but make no mistake, they’re a very talented team.

"In this game especially, with them playing at home in their only game of this window, they’re going to be ready and highly motivated so we have to be ready for that."

Another milestone in Ellis' GB career

For Ellis, the window also represents another milestone in a GB journey which began several years ago.

"My time with the national team has gone so quickly. It only feels like yesterday but it was four or five years ago now that I made my senior debut and no doubt playing for Great Britain has been a huge part of my growth as a player.

"International basketball is a different style entirely to EuroLeague or anywhere else, I have different responsibilities here as well, so I’ve grown a lot in this jersey and I’m always super excited to play as often as I can whenever I’m able to."

Those experiences have become even more valuable following his breakthrough EuroLeague campaign.

It was Ellis’ first season with Olimpia Milano and his first at the highest level of European club basketball, with the 23-year-old playing significant minutes throughout the campaign as Milano secured a historic treble.

"This past season has certainly been one of growing for me. It was my first year in EuroLeague, my first year with an iconic team like Olimpia Milano, and I learned so much from start to finish," he said.

"Having those experiences teaches you a lot about yourself, about your body, and what it takes to compete with the best players in Europe every night. It’s an experience I am super grateful for, especially as I had the chance to play a lot of minutes and the success was amazing too."

Away from the court, Ellis also learned how important preparation and routine become when competing at the highest level.

"I learned how important it is to have a routine when your travel and game schedules are so busy and condensed," he said.

"Having a routine the day before a game, the day after a game, how to prepare yourself mentally and physically, these are all things I learned an awful lot about as well as learning a lot from the experiences on the floor with and against such great players every night."

Winning three trophies in his first season with the club added another memorable chapter to a campaign of significant personal growth.

"Winning the treble for the first time in the club’s history and being a part of Milan’s legacy is a really nice thing to think about and something I’ll take forward with me as I remember an amazing year with lots of positives and lots of learning."

Those lessons will now be brought into a GB environment which Ellis believes is entering an exciting period.

"This team is getting younger and younger, but that’s just giving us more and more hope for the future because we’re learning and having experiences at such a relatively young age that will help us massively in the future," he said.

"I know we can be competitive and really challenge the top nations in the coming years, and reach our goals of qualifying for as many tournaments as possible and doing things the programme hasn’t done before."

Finally back in front of GB basketball fans

For Ellis, the opportunity to do so begins with a challenging trip to Switzerland before the team returns to British soil.

He is particularly looking forward to the second game of the window, with Newcastle providing a rare opportunity to represent GB in front of supporters close to home.

"I’m excited to finally be back playing in the UK. It’s not quite on my doorstep but it is very close to being a home game for me, being from Sheffield with the game in Newcastle," he said.

"Whenever I get the chance to compete on home soil, especially because it is so few and far between, I want to have the best game possible and play my hardest, which gives you extra motivation and some nerves too."

With a new cycle beginning and a talented young core developing alongside established GB internationals, Ellis sees an opportunity to build something that could last well beyond the opening games of this campaign.

"In international basketball, every nation has their time to show what they can do and very few stay at the top for long period.

"But I feel like we’re putting the foundations in place to really deliver a successful period for the Great Britain programme in years to come."

Watch GB Men in action versus Switzerland tonight (27 August) on FIBA's YouTube channel. Tip off at 18:00.

GB vs Switzerland

Get yourself tickets for the follow up game as GB host Slovakia at the Newcastle Eagles Arena. 

Watch GB vs Slovakia Live