MVP Cast with Mark Woods

The Ed Scott One

In this edition of the MVP Cast, we're joined by the chief operations officer of the Euroleague, Ed Scott, who tells us about his path from helping out at Worthing Thunder to being the most influential Brit in global basketball, why Chelsea and Manchester United might be good fits for the competition, and the vast gulf between the BBL and the continent's best.

The Paul Blake One

In the first edition of 2019 of the MVP Cast, we talk to Newcastle Eagles owner Paul Blake about the opening of the team's new £7 million arena, the journey from the wreckage of Newcastle United's Sporting Club to constructing a self-sustaining business and what the future holds for the British Basketball League giants - on and off the court.

The Donna Finnie One

On this edition of the MVP Cast, we're joined by Donna Finnie, the first and only Brit to be a head coach in the top division of NCAA college basketball, to discuss her unprecedented journey from junior national teams to the United States and Houston Baptist University, the ferocity of the recruiting process, and why young talent from the UK has an attraction for Stateside schools.

The John Coffino One

In this edition of the MVP Cast, we chat to ex-Cheshire Phoenix coach John Coffino about a basketball globetrotting odyssey that's taken him to exotic outposts such as Georgia, China, Kenya and Ellesmere Port, how the playgrounds of The Bronx formed his hoop dreams, the ferocity of college recruiting and why he'd like another shot in the BBL.

The Dave Hopla One

In this edition of the MVP Cast, we chat to the man described as 'the greatest shooter in basketball', Dave Hopla, about his playing days in bomb-ridden Belfast, how he developed his super-accurate shot and the perils of coaching others to hit the target in the NBA and elsewhere.

The Carl Wheatle One

In this edition of the MVP Cast, we grab a chat with Great Britain forward Carl Wheatle who tells us about leaving home at the age of 15 to make the basketball grade in Italy and why he'd embrace the chance to be the national team's captain one day.

The Gareth Maguire One

In this edition of the MVP Cast, we chat to Gareth Maguire about this month's Belfast Hall of Fame Classic tournament and how it's managed to bring eight college teams across the Atlantic with a business-first approach, about the Sport Changes Life charity, about breaking down the hoops divides in Northern Ireland and about the next generation of talent coming through, including at former club Belfast Star in the Irish Superleague.

The Siobhán Prior One

In this episode of the MVP Cast, we're joined by Nottingham Wildcats and Great Britain guard Siobhán Prior to talk about how her parents helped make her a basketballaholic, taking hoops into the community and reaching out to Muslim kids, why Baltimore is about more than 'The Wire', her fear of heading overseas following an abortive first try, and GB's bid to clinch a spot at EuroBasket Women.

The Rahmon Fletcher One

In this edition of the MVP Cast, Newcastle Eagles guard Rahmon Fletcher is our guest as we talk about turning 30, his Kansas City fraternity of under-sized basketball PGs, politics in America, his musical talents as a former kid from Fame, and whether Fab Flournoy will or won't end up as a non-playing coach. 

The Gavin Love One

In this edition of the MVP Cast, we talk to Gavin Love, one of the few British basketball coaches currently employed overseas at the helm of Luxembourg side AC Contern - on why he looked abroad for opportunities, the adjustments required and what the lifestyle perks are.