Basketball Wales Celebrates the Past, Present and Future at 2026 Annual Awards Ceremony
Basketball Wales welcomed nearly 300 guests to the Mercure Holland House Hotel in Cardiff on Friday, 4 September, for its biggest and most inclusive Annual Awards Ceremony to date.
Players, parents, families, coaches, alumni, volunteers and staff came together for a memorable evening celebrating the achievements of Welsh basketball. Representatives from Masters Basketball, Wheelchair Basketball, Special Olympics and the running game were all in attendance, making the event a true celebration of the sport in all its forms.
Opening the ceremony, Basketball Wales Chief Operating Officer Gavin Williams said:
“What makes this evening particularly special to me, and to the Board and staff at Basketball Wales, is that we have representation from across our entire sport. This makes it our most inclusive ceremony to date and a true celebration of all Welsh basketball.”
Special guest Tim Lewis returns to Welsh basketball
Basketball Wales was delighted to welcome Minnesota Timberwolves assistant coach Tim Lewis as the evening’s special guest.
Before embarking on a coaching career that has taken him around the world, Tim proudly represented Wales as a player during the mid-1990s. He competed in several FIBA qualifying tournaments and scored more than 150 points while wearing the Welsh vest.
During the ceremony, Tim was presented with his official Basketball Wales cap in recognition of his international playing career and contribution to Welsh basketball.
Tim then joined Head of Performance and Coaching Pathways Ryan Chambers on stage to discuss his career before helping to present international caps to former and current Welsh players.
Welsh basketball alumni honoured
Continuing a tradition introduced in 2025, Basketball Wales presented long-overdue international caps to more than 30 former players.
The alumni represented Wales with pride and distinction in FIBA qualifying tournaments, Home Nations internationals, Commonwealth Games qualifiers and schools internationals.
Among those recognised were former players from the iconic Cardiff Heat and Cardiff Phoenix teams, which competed at the highest levels of the English basketball leagues. The ceremony also celebrated a generation of former Sandfields Comprehensive School pupils who were coached and inspired by PE teacher Paul Farrow.
Basketball Wales is also exploring the creation of an Alumni Membership for former international players who would like to reconnect with the organisation and the wider Welsh basketball community.
As part of this initiative, Basketball Wales will look to organise dedicated alumni events throughout the year, giving former players opportunities to reconnect, reunite with past teammates and celebrate their shared experiences representing Wales.
To help us begin this process, we would like to hear from former players who may be interested in joining the Alumni Membership and attending future events.
Please register your interest by completing the Basketball Wales Alumni Interest Form.
Remembering Stuart Robbins
One of the most moving moments of the evening was a special tribute to former Welsh international Stuart Robbins.
Born in Neath in 1976, Stuart developed into one of Wales’ most accomplished professional basketball players. The 6ft 11in centre played college basketball for Saint Joseph’s University in Pennsylvania before representing the Thames Valley Tigers and London Towers in the British Basketball League.
His career also took him across Europe. Stuart played professionally in Belgium and Germany, including spells with Bree BBC, Kaiserslautern and Bayern Munich, before joining UL Eagles in Limerick, Ireland.
At UL Eagles, Stuart contributed as both a player and assistant coach. During his debut season, he led the team in scoring and rebounding and was regarded as one of the competition’s outstanding players. Further details of Stuart’s career are available here.
Stuart passed away in April 2010 at just 33 years of age. His achievements on the court, his connection to Sandfields and his contribution to basketball in Wales and overseas continue to be remembered.
Stuart’s parents, Des and Jayne, were invited onto the stage to receive his Welsh cap in recognition of the many games in which he proudly wore the Welsh vest and represented his country.
The presentation provided an opportunity for the Welsh basketball community to honour Stuart’s achievements and enduring legacy while extending its thoughts to his family, friends, former teammates and everyone whose life he touched.
Celebrating success across Welsh basketball
The ceremony recognised achievements from throughout the Welsh basketball community.
Members of the Wales Special Olympics basketball programme were celebrated following their participation in the Special Olympics GB National Summer Games in Manchester. All the Welsh teams competed with pride, with the Division A team securing a silver medal.
Welsh wheelchair basketball also enjoyed an outstanding year. The Under-14 team was crowned 2026 Home Nations champion following a series of closely contested performances, while the Under-18 team earned a bronze medal after defeating England Central in the third-place play-off.
At senior level, Wales competed proudly against England Under-25, Scotland and Northern Ireland, demonstrating determination, teamwork and the continuing strength of the Welsh pathway.
Welsh basketball also made history at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, where Wales was represented in 3×3 wheelchair basketball for the first time.
The women began their campaign with an emphatic 16-1 victory over India in Wales’ first Commonwealth Games wheelchair basketball match. They followed this with a 17-1 win against Nigeria before progressing to the quarter-finals.
The men also created their own piece of history, holding their nerve to secure a dramatic 14-13 victory over Malaysia in their opening game. It was Wales’ first Commonwealth Games win in the men’s competition.
Masters programme continues to grow
The event also recognised another significant year for the Basketball Wales Masters programme.
Wales entered a Women’s 35-plus team and a Men’s 40-plus team in the British Basketball Masters Tournament, while several Welsh players were selected to represent Great Britain at the European Masters Basketball Championship in Athens.
Basketball Wales also confirmed that the Masters programme will expand during the coming season to include an over-50s category, creating further opportunities for people to enjoy and compete in basketball at every stage of life.
Sue Clelland receives the inaugural Jo Coates-McGrath Memorial Award
One of the most poignant moments of the evening was the presentation of the inaugural Jo Coates-McGrath Memorial Award.
Jo’s passion, dedication and unwavering commitment helped shape wheelchair basketball in Wales. She was a key figure at every level of the sport, from welcoming people to basketball for the first time to supporting athletes on their journeys towards representing Great Britain.
Throughout her years of service, Jo supported the Welsh national teams across all age groups, the Cardiff Met Archers National League and Women’s League teams, and the Wales 3×3 programme. She also served on the British Wheelchair Basketball Competitions Working Group, sharing her knowledge and experience to help shape the future of the game.
Jo’s contribution extended far beyond the basketball court. Through her work with Disability Sport Wales, Cardiff City Council, Cardiff Met Archers and numerous other partners, she championed better opportunities for disabled people to access sport, physical activity and wellbeing.
The annual award was established to ensure that Jo’s values and legacy continue to inspire the Welsh basketball community. It recognises an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to wheelchair basketball in Wales through voluntary service, leadership, compassion and a commitment to developing the sport and supporting others.
Four outstanding nominees were shortlisted for the inaugural award:
- Caroline Matthews MBE
- Gwynne Walker
- Omer Hagomer
- Susan “Sue” Clelland
Each nominee has made a meaningful and lasting contribution to wheelchair basketball in Wales.
Sue Clelland was announced as the inaugural recipient in recognition of more than 20 years of extraordinary service to the sport.
From transporting players’ wheelchairs across the country to serving as a dependable table official at countless games and competitions, Sue has always been ready to help wherever needed.
Despite facing significant health challenges, her commitment to wheelchair basketball has never wavered. Her warmth, resilience and selfless dedication embody the qualities celebrated by the award and represent the very best of the Welsh basketball community.
International caps presented to academy players
The evening concluded with the presentation of international caps to Basketball Wales academy players from the Under-14 girls, Under-14 boys, Under-15 boys, Under-15 and Under-17 girls, and Under-17 boys squads.
The presentations celebrated the commitment of the players, coaches, team managers and families who supported the national programme throughout the season.
Basketball Wales would like to congratulate everyone recognised during the ceremony and thank all those who attended and helped make the evening such a success.
Special thanks go to Danielle Brown and the events team for their work in planning and delivering the biggest Basketball Wales ceremony of the past four years.
Basketball Wales would also like to thank Sport Wales, the Welsh Government and The National Lottery for their continued investment in Welsh basketball, along with all our sponsors and partners for their ongoing support.
The strength, diversity and achievements celebrated throughout the evening demonstrated that Welsh basketball has a proud history, an exciting present and a bright future.
Selection of images from the evening
