Tributes paid as Lee Linton-Hodges passes away (1990-2025)

By Sam Neter on October 16, 2025

The British basketball community is mourning the loss of Lee Linton-Hodges, a much-loved and long-serving player who passed away suddenly on Sunday 5th October.

Standing at 7’0” and known affectionately across the game as a “gentle giant”, Linton-Hodges’ career spanned 19 seasons, making him one of the most recognisable figures in the National Basketball League over the past two decades.

Clubs across the country paid tribute with a 1 minute silence before games at the weekend.

A product of the Ipswich Basketball programme where he spent the bulk of his time – 11 seasons – becoming a cornerstone of the club’s culture and success, he also represented Essex Leopards for two seasons while attending the Barking Abbey Basketball Academy, and spent a year overseas in France with St. Dizier.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Endeavour Ipswich Basketball Club (@ipswichbball)

His domestic career also included two seasons with Hemel Storm, where he captured the NBL National Cup title in 2018, averaging 10 points and six rebounds during that campaign, before completing a three-season stint at Essex Rebels, and then rounding out his career back at Ipswich.

Before his senior career took off, Linton-Hodges was an England junior international, representing his country at U16 and U18 levels between 2006 and 2008.

He was selected for the inaugural Hoopsfix All-Star Classic in 2014, where he competed among the nation’s top homegrown talents in Under-26 game, and later made appearances in the Hoopsfix Pro-Am.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Endeavour Ipswich Basketball Club (@ipswichbball)

Tributes have poured in from across the basketball community. Ipswich Basketball Head Coach Nick Drane, who worked with Linton-Hodges for more than two decades, described him as the “definition of a gentle giant.”

“Everyone loved Lee,” said Drane. “I had the privilege of knowing him for over 20 years and basketball was only a small element of our relationship. Lee was the dearest of dear friends and someone who meant so much to me, and to so many people. We will all do everything we can to support his beautiful family through this incredibly difficult time.”

Former teammate Colin Dockrell echoed those sentiments, adding:

“He wore his heart on his sleeve and was never afraid to show his emotional side, both on and off the court. What he’ll be remembered for most is how someone of such incredible size could also be so playful, excitable and humorous.”

A GoFundMe page launched by the Ipswich club to support funeral costs and Linton-Hodges’ family has raised more than £32,000 and counting (donate here), a testament to the love and respect he inspired across the basketball world.

R.I.P.

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