John Amaechi Awarded OBE

By Sam Neter on June 12, 2011

Image: John Amaechi

Former NBA player and Hall of Famer John Amaechi is to be awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) after being named on the Queen’s Birthday Honours list.

Amaechi is honoured for his services to sport and the voluntary sector after his work with basketball in Manchester and his campaigning for social inclusion and gay rights. The awards, which recognise outstanding merit and service, are published twice a year, at the beginning of the new year and on the Queen’s official birthday.

Upon hearing of the honour, Amaechi tweeted;

“Thanks for the kind words, I realise I am here because of great support: a giant, standing on the shoulders of slightly smaller people!”

The former England international and Commonwealth Bronze medal winner had stints at Cleveland, Orlando and Utah in the NBA, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame for being the first player to score a basket in the new millennium. Since his retirement Amaechi has worked as psychologist, educator and political activist in Europe and the United States.

He invested £250,000 into the creation of the Amaechi Basketball Centre, one of the only purpose built basketball facilities in the country created in 2002, which has now become a hub of basketball in the north and is renowned for his basketball-related work in and around the centre with the Manchester Magic programme.

Talking about the award Amaechi said:

“The thing that was good about playing basketball was not putting a ball in a hole. It was the access it gave you to do other good things if you chose – not enough people did choose.

“This, I think, additionally will give me another great access to do good things.”

A controversial figure for being a fierce critic of the way basketball is run in the UK, he has received mixed reactions to the announcement of the award. Former Great Britain centre Andy Betts tweeted:

“OBE for services to Basketball. What a joke!!!! Always negative about British basketball and an OBE???”

Whilst others have taken to his Facebook page to congratulate him with one user commenting:

“Well done John, well deserved but long overdue.”

Commenting on the news, David Stern, Commissioner of the National Basketball Association, said:

“John Amaechi is an inspiration to millions, and a great ambassador for his country and the sport of basketball. As a consummate professional during his playing days and through his continued community service, John truly represents the ideals of the NBA. On behalf of the entire NBA family, I want to congratulate John. I can think of no one more deserving of such a prestigious honour.”

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