Anunoby’s championship-winning season and his clutch moments throughout the year come at a timely crossroads as far as the future of British basketball is concerned.
The NBA is planning to launch an independent European league within the next 18 months. London and Manchester are in place to be hosts to a franchise each when that league is launched, currently planned for October 2027.
By the time it has launched, both cities will have hosted an NBA regular-season match in the two years leading up to what could be the biggest changes to club basketball across the United Kingdom and Europe.
“I think London, especially, is an untapped market. There’s so much talent and so many people playing basketball, so I think it would be amazing to bring a team to Manchester and London and continue growing in England,” said Anunoby on the prospect of a European NBA league.
“As time goes on [basketball in the UK] is going to grow more and more. I think over time more and more [young boys and girls] are going to pull up at the NBA or WNBA.
“I want them to see that someone from where they are from is doing this. There is a lot of untapped potential and hope it’s going to grow. It will mean exposure, growth, more leagues, more excitement for the game.”
The London Lions recently signed a multi-year deal to remain competing in EuroCup for at least the next three seasons, which could be extended to five.
Anunoby was previously a minority owner of the franchise, who are coming off the back of a domestic quadruple-winning season.
It is an exciting time for a sport that has struggled to consistently produce top-level British stars but is showing growth and enormous potential at grassroots level.
Anunoby’s championship-winning run is both timely and an inspiration for the next generation of UK-based basketball hopefuls.
