Mayor of London to create ‘basketball taskforce’ to grow the game

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has pledged to build on the growing success of basketball in the capital as he announces the formation of a basketball taskforce to develop the game.

Following a meeting with NBA Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer Mark Tatum to discuss their shared ambition to expand the sport’s reach and influence in the capital, including through live NBA games, Khan pledged to create a first-of-its-kind basketball taskforce to develop and grow the game, boost access to basketball, attract new events to London, including the return of NBA games, and create positive opportunities for young people.

“It was great to meet with NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum today to discuss the possibility of bringing more NBA games and activities to London and how we can further expand the game in the capital,” The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said.

“Basketball continues to go from strength-to-strength and by creating a new taskforce I want to help it grow even further, enabling more young people to access and enjoy the sport.

“London has provided the stage for so many unforgettable sporting moments and I’m committed to making sure we further cement our position as the sporting capital of the world. I look forward to working closely with the NBA and other global sports to extend their activities in London and ensure we continue to have a packed calendar of world-class sporting events.

The taskforce will bring together leaders in sport, business, national governing bodies and professional basketball teams and players, and the Mayor has invited senior figures from the NBA to participate.

“The NBA has a long history of playing games in London, and we are committed to further growing the game in the city and across the UK,” NBA Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer Mark Tatum, added.

“Through grassroots programs for youth and coaches, weekly games that air in primetime on TNT Sports, the beautiful new NBA Store on Oxford Street and more, there has never been a better time to be an NBA fan in London.

“We look forward to working more closely with Mayor Khan and his administration to build on these efforts in the years to come.”

The Mayor has already invested £500,000 into the London Coaches Program, a collaboration between the NBA and Basketball England to train hundreds of coaches across the city and boost basketball participation.

London, which hosted the USA Basketball Men’s and Women’s National Teams at the USA Basketball Showcase this summer, along with South Sudan and GB, lost the European NBA games to Paris in 2019, where they have remained since.

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