NBA: Ozzy Anunoby sees UK basketball cheer after New York Knicks’ Finals win

Anunobi’s championship-winning season and his clutch moments throughout the year come at a timely juncture about the future of British basketball.

The NBA plans to launch an independent European league within the next 18 months. London and Manchester are slated to host one franchise each when the league launches, currently planned for October 2027.

When it launches, both cities will host an NBA regular-season match in two years in what could be the biggest change in club basketball across the UK and Europe.

“I think London, in particular, is an untapped market. There’s a lot of talent and a lot of people playing basketball, so I think it would be amazing to bring a team to Manchester and London and continue to grow in England,” Anunoby said of the prospect of a European NBA league.

“(Basketball in the UK) is going to grow more and more as time goes on. I think more and more (young guys and girls) are going to come up to the NBA or the WNBA as time goes on.

“I want them to see someone doing it from where they come from. There’s a lot of untapped potential here and hopefully it will grow. It will mean exposure, growth, more leagues, more excitement to play.”

The London Lions recently signed a multi-year deal to compete in the EuroCup for at least the next three seasons, which could be extended to five.

Anunoby was previously a minority owner of the franchise, which is coming off a quadruple-win season at home.

It’s an exciting time for a sport that has consistently struggled to produce top-level British stars but is showing growth and huge potential at grassroots level.

Anunoby’s championship-winning run is both timely and an inspiration to the next generation of UK-based basketball hopefuls.