NBA Trio Strengthens Great Britain for EuroBasket 2029 Qualifiers

Great Britain will have three players with current or recent NBA ties available for the opening FIBA EuroBasket 2029 pre-qualifying window. BBC Sport reported on Wednesday that the additions strengthen Marc Steutel’s team before an away game against Switzerland and a home meeting with Slovakia.

Boston Celtics centre Amari Williams is set to make his senior international debut after previously representing Great Britain at youth level. The 23-year-old returned to the national programme this summer following seven years away and joined Steutel’s squad after signing with Boston last year. Great Britain Basketball confirmed his place in the 16-player training group earlier this month.

Dallas Mavericks forward Tobi Lawal is back with the national team for the first time since being drafted into the NBA earlier this summer. Lawal had featured for Great Britain during each of the previous two summers and made his senior debut in 2024. His return gives the squad another player with recent experience of the British system.

Tosan Evbuomwan completes the trio of headline additions. The Newcastle-born forward has played in the NBA for the Memphis Grizzlies, Brooklyn Nets, New York Knicks and Detroit Pistons. He was named NBA G League Finals Most Valuable Player following the 2025-26 campaign and has since signed for FC Barcelona ahead of the new EuroLeague season. Like Williams, Evbuomwan is in line for his senior Great Britain debut after representing the country at junior level.

The wider group includes Quinn Ellis, who is moving to St John’s University after helping Olimpia Milano secure a domestic treble, as well as established internationals Myles Hesson and Luke Nelson. Great Britain Basketball said the roster combines NBA, EuroLeague, NCAA and domestic experience. Steutel is supported by assistant coaches Alberto Lorenzo and Jackson Gibbons.

Great Britain travel to Fribourg to face Switzerland on August 27 before hosting Slovakia at Newcastle’s Vertu Motors Arena on August 30. The games begin the team’s EuroBasket 2029 pre-qualifying campaign, with only the winner of the group progressing to the next stage. The Newcastle fixture will also mark the senior men’s team’s 10th appearance on Tyneside since 2021.