The new British Basketball League campaign is almost here, and we know you’re just as excited as we are for the new season!
The summer has been epic for British Basketball, and with the return of the League comes a new level of anticipation, as we’re set for another epic campaign with a tonne of incredible talent taking to the court to compete for glory.
Although a ball hasn’t been bounced in anger yet in Championship action this season, we love a good prediction as much as the next person, so we tasked three British Basketball legends with making their pre-season choices for some of the major end-of-season awards in the 2023/24 campaign! Anthony Rowe, Drew Lasker and Mike Tuck were all up for this mighty challenge … so read on to find out who they chose.
ANTHONY ROWE
Most Valuable Player – Sam Dekker, London Lions
My prediction for MVP would be is Sam Dekker. With great power, comes great responsibility! Sam Dekker was the best player on the best team last season and I think anything less the season would fall short of expectation. He’s an individual that holds himself to an incredibly high standard and we saw him time after time last season making big plays, whether that be on the domestic or European stage. Had it not been for the injury that he battled through last season, I think his numbers would have been even more so impressive. He’s a player that plays the game the right way and if he’s able to achieve MVP this season, then he will be part of a small elite group that was able to achieve back-to-back MVP awards.
Coach of the Year – Petar Bozic, London Lions
Coach Bozic has an incredible test this year, succeeding the previous Coach of the Year, Ryan Schmidt. The Lions have a great culture with incredible resources, but with that comes the highest of expectations. London winning titles domestically and going far in Europe will be dictated by how well Coach Bozic leads his group and if he can successfully get his team to buy in then they certainly have the challenge to achieve those lofty ambitions, so any coach that does that and secures multiple titles is going to be a favourite to win Coach of the Year.
Most Improved Player – Blake Bowman, Leicester Riders
Blake Bowman is an electrifying and exciting a young British player who has successfully made the transition from NBL Division One to the League. Last year he showed glimpses of star-studded potential and I feel this year that he’ll be given the opportunity to shine more given that he’s one of the more experienced players on the roster at this level, which should present opportunities for Blake Bowman to show us more of what he can do.
Defensive Player of the Year – LaQuincy Rideau, Cheshire Phoenix
When looking through potential candidates for this award, there were two players on the same roster that really had me splitting hairs. I’ll start with the close runner-up, which was Cam Holden, who I’ve seen in preseason. He’s an incredibly active long guard, who was a Conference all-defensive team for the Towson tigers in college, however, just edging him out, is his point guard: LaQuincy Rideau. This is a player who has an incredible sense of anticipation; fast, active hands in the passing lanes and great intensity, and his resume speaks for itself after being awarded Defensive Player of the Year back in 2019 in the prestigious AAC Conference in the NCAA.
DREW LASKER:
Most Valuable Player – Matt Morgan, London Lions
While last year’s MVP Sam Dekker works himself back from off-season ankle surgery, you can expect M&M to take over the scoring load and put his stamp on the British Basketball League. Whether it was in the G-League or Pro-A France, Morgan’s scoring ability seemingly translates everywhere, and I think the pace and style of play in the League will fit his game perfectly.
Coach of the Year – Marc Steutel, Serios Group Newcastle Eagles
We can all admit that last season was an embarrassing one for the Newcastle Eagles and their Head Coach has taken full responsibility. No one will be more motivated than the Great Britain play-caller to put things right! The overriding feeling is that the Eagles will make the biggest jump in the standings of any team this season and excitement will be brought back to the north-east, as the most successful team in League history returns to form. A collection of elite talent at times can be relatively easy to coach and difficult to manage, but Marc will use his experience and man management to keep this star-studded roster focused on the ultimate goal.
Most Improved Player of the Year – Jalon Pipkins, B. Braun Sheffield Sharks
The Sharks’ early struggles last year were swept under the carpet with the mid-season acquisition of Jalon Pipkins. With his signing, Head Coach Atiba Lyons opened the stables and allowed his thoroughbreds to run, making Sheffield one of the teams to beat in the second half of the season. The Sharks have retained their core, adding more dynamic players around them to complement their skillsets, and nobody will benefit from this more than Pipkins. Look for him to have the ball in his hands when the shot clock gets low and increase his scoring average from 10 points per game to closer to 15.
Defensive Player of the Year – Josh Sharma, London Lions
He’s the most feared man in the paint and his length and timing are elite! Having the ability to switch on guards and move his feet is what makes him special, and his presence will have the League’s best scorers second-guessing themselves any time they land in the paint. Josh doesn’t need to focus on offense as the Lions has a plethora of weapons on that side of the ball. With his attention solely on plugging the paint, he will lead the league in blocks, and be the biggest difference-maker on the defensive end.
MIKE TUCK
Most Valuable Player – Sam Dekker, London Lions
If he comes back healthy from his injury and manages to play for the majority of the season, he’s definitely my pick. He was the most impressive player in the League last season, and I expect when he’s healthy he’ll be able to pick up right where he left off. He’s found a home in London, where there’s a team and culture that’s built around him and lets him execute the way that he wants to. He’s an everything guy. He can do everything out there on the floor. He’s got the height, he’s got the skill, he’s got the speed, and he’s got the IQ, so for those reasons Dekker is my pick for MVP.
Coach of the Year – Petar Bozic, London Lions
Coach Bozic has a tremendous pedigree and reputation coming into this league and he has the exciting challenge of coaching a London Lions side who have a lot of resource and the ability to make big moves and bring in big players. Coming from the NBA where he had a lot of success and his time in Partizan Belgrade, he will know how to manage bigger names and bigger egos and be able to bring them together, so I think he’s certainly the front-runner for that award as he builds this team for another successful season.
Most Improved Player – Jubril Adekoya, B. Braun Sheffield Sharks
Jubril is headed to Sheffield from the Leicester Riders, where he did a great job of being a role player in for the Riders in those successful seasons and stepping up when they needed him. He obviously wasn’t getting big minutes on a regular basis, but I think now moving over to Sheffield he’s in a situation where he’ll have an opportunity to play more and I’m excited to watch him step up to that role. I expect Coach Lyons will let him off the leash a little bit and give him a little bit more freedom to be the player he can be.
Defensive Player of the Year – Larry Austin Jr., Serios Group Newcastle Eagles
This guy is an absolute beast down on the defensive end. The amount of steals, he got last season was incredible and I think when you have a guy like him picking up in the full court, he’s such an asset because his on-ball defence is incredible. He is a nightmare for any guy that he is guarding on the night, he made Defensive Team of the Year last season, and I feel like he’ll be a prime candidate for this award this season.
