Drew Sullivan’s Leicester Riders Departure Confirmed

By Bradley Gains on August 8, 2014

Drew Sullivan will not be returning to the Leicester Riders next season, with his move being confirmed by the club’s managing director and Head Coach this week.

Riders managing director Russell Levenston told the Leicester Mercury that their efforts to re-sign Sullivan came up short.

“We were always keen to have a player like Drew back – he does many things for a team, and we had a number of discussions,” Levenston said. “But ultimately it was Drew’s decision to move on. We wish him all the best.”

And Riders head-coach Rob Paternostro also paid tribute to the departing Sullivan.

“Drew will go down in history as one of the greatest players if not the greatest to ever play for Riders, certainly a player who enjoyed more success than anyone who ever wore a Riders shirt,” the play-caller said.

“He is undoubtedly an all-time great in our league and to have a player of that calibre playing with us certainly impacted everything we did and helped us to be at the top of the British game these last few seasons.”

The 34-year joined the Riders back in 2011 and helped the club to four trophies in three seasons including a historic treble in 2012-13.

Sullivan is now expected to join another BBL side, with rumours swirling of a return to his hometown with the London Lions, who have already signed his former team-mate and reigning league MVP Zaire Taylor.

Last season, Sullivan averaged 14.5 points per game along with 7.5 rebounds and 4.3 assists whilst also winning the BBL Cup Final MVP award after helping the Riders defend their title with a pivotal final quarter performance.

Before his future is sorted, the immediate focus will be helping GB qualify for next year’s EuroBasket with an opening game against Iceland taking place on Sunday. GB then host Bosnia next Wednesday at the Copper Box Arena which could become a familiar setting for Sullivan next season.

Do you like our work?

We have a tiny favour to ask. In 2018 we set out to make Hoopsfix sustainable by building our relationship directly with our readers. Up until now, Hoopsfix has been creating editorials, videos and podcasts to provide sorely missing coverage of the British game and its distinct culture and community.

We have funded Hoopsfix with our freelance work creating basketball media, but sadly that means not only does it fall behind our client’s priorities, but some of those clients are the same organisations we need to report objectively on putting us in a conflicted position.

We want to devote more time to our mission of helping British basketball reach its potential, and produce even more content for the basketball community by making Hoopsfix a sustainable 100% independent business funded directly by our readers through Patreon.

If everyone who enjoys our content chose to support us, our future would be much more secure. For as little as $3 per month, you can support Hoopsfix – and it only takes a minute.

We are tremendously honoured and humbled to have a community of people who value what we do, and we look forward to being at the forefront of the British game as it continues to evolve.

Support Hoopsfix