BBL in discussions to link with Lithuania

The BBL has today announced that there are potential plans to ‘buddy up’ with the Lithuanian Basketball Federation following talks between Newcastle Eagles and League Chairman, Paul Blake and Lithuanian Basketball Federation Executive Director, Paulius Motiejunas, which took place recently in London.

The official BBL site reported earlier today that the link between the British Basketball League and the LBF has been discussed with a view to developing both players and coaches.

BBL chairman Paul Blake said on www.bbl.org.uk:

[blockquote]”To have an opportunity to work with an established world-class organisation such as the Lithuanian Basketball Federation is an exciting development and particularly because their expertise and achievements are matched and perhaps even surpassed by an almost immeasurable passion for the game.”[/blockquote]

A potential partnership between the BBL and their Lithuanian counterparts is a smart move by the British top flight, with the Lithuanian phrase ‘Basketball is second only to God’ and approximately 74,000* Lithuanians believed to currently reside in the UK, basketball could be in line for a huge boost both in terms of popularity and finances.

The BBL currently has three Lithuanian players in the league: Duo Arturas Masiulis and Arnas Kazlauskas are turning out for the Worcester Wolves, while Karolis Stepanavicius is on the books for the London Lions.

*Figure courtesy of the Office for National Statistics in 2010