Following happiness to Oregon and back to Leicester – With Holly Winterburn – Ep. 68

For Episode 68 of the Hoopsfix podcast, we sit down with top GB prospect Holly Winterburn who recently announced her decision to return from the US and sign in Leicester on a three-year deal.

Winterburn, 19, is one of the most talented junior players to ever come out of the UK, having spent her freshman season at top ranked Oregon where she won a Pac-12 regular season and tournament championship, playing alongside three teammates who would be selected in the top 10 of the 2020 WNBA draft.

Her decision to play in the UK over the options she had in the US is unprecedented, and represents a huge opportunity for the domestic game.

The 5’11” guard has represented the England/GB junior national teams for six straight summers, from U16 through to U20 level, making two European Championship All-Tournament teams.

Before heading to the US, she shone in the WBBL, winning two Young Player of the Year Awards, and making the WBBL All-British team, whilst dominating at the junior level winning a WEABL championship and MVP, along with MVP in the inaugural Hoopsfix All-Star Classic U19 Women’s game.

In this 1 hour 20 minute episode, hear from Holly on:

• How she first got into basketball at school
• Playing a number of different sports such as a football
• Getting selected for the England U15 development squad and realising she could be good
• Her role models and inspirations as a young teenager
• Disconnect between younger players and the GB senior players
• Whether playing with older players at such a young age helped with her maturity off-court
• Her first practice with Leicester’s WBBL side as a 15 year old
• Advice she would give for younger players to cultivate self belief and confidence
• The challenge of tuning out other people’s opinions
• When the college coaches came knocking
• What it means to represent her country and why she has suited up for the national team for six straight summers
• Playing her best basketball with GB in the summer
• Preparation time for the junior national teams
• Her lack of call up to the GB Senior Women’s team yet
• Weighing up options and making the decision which school in the US to go to
• Her three visits and the recruitment process
• The level of provision at Oregon
• The struggle with playing time
• Her first basket at Oregon against the USA Senior Women’s national team
• Winning the Pac-12 regular season and tournament title
• Missing out on March Madness
• Making the decision to transfer to UC Davis
• Deciding to return home to sign with Leicester and the role the pandemic had
• The importance of her happiness off the floor to be happy on it
• Whether or not her goal is still to play professionally abroad in the long term
• Her aim to help grow the profile of the WBBL and domestic game
• Working with younger players
• And much, much, more!

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