Deane Williams has played professional basketball in seven countries across three continents, but the 31-year-old British power forward says nothing compares to the moment he pulled on a London Lions jersey for the first time this season. After 12 years bouncing between Belgium, Germany, France, Spain, Israel, Italy and Cyprus, Williams is finally playing in front of family, friends and the British fans who watched him develop at the Reading Rockets academy more than a decade ago. Now, with the Lions sitting top of the Super League Basketball table, Williams has set his sights on what would be an unprecedented domestic quadruple: SLB championship, BBL Cup, BBL Trophy and the FIBA Europe Cup.
A homecoming 12 years in the making
Williams left England at 19, a raw 6ft 8in forward with a jump shot that needed work and a passport that would soon fill with stamps. His debut professional contract came with Spirou Charleroi in Belgium’s top flight, where he averaged 4.2 points in limited minutes during the 2014-15 season. From there came stints at Bayreuth in Germany’s BBL, JL Bourg in France’s Pro A, Manresa in Spain’s ACB, Hapoel Jerusalem in Israel, Trieste in Italy’s Serie A and AEK Larnaca in Cyprus.
“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t think about home every season,” Williams told SportsPortal.net after the Lions’ 89-76 win over Manchester Giants on Friday. “But the offers from Britain were never right. The Lions changed that. The infrastructure here now, the ownership, the arena at the Copper Box, the ambition — it’s a different league to the one I left.”
The numbers back up the homecoming narrative. Williams is averaging 14.8 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists across all competitions, shooting 48.3% from the field and 37.1% from three. Those are career highs in every category. Lions head coach Vince Macaulay, who tried to sign Williams in 2019 and again in 2022, credits the player’s overseas education for the impact he is having on a young roster.
Building the quadruple bid
The Lions have already lifted the BBL Cup, beating Newcastle Eagles 84-71 in the January final at the O2 Arena, with Williams contributing 18 points and nine rebounds in 28 minutes. The BBL Trophy semi-finals begin next month, and the Lions have a 14-point aggregate lead in their FIBA Europe Cup quarter-final tie against German side Niners Chemnitz heading into the second leg in Saxony.
The Super League Basketball title remains the headline target. London hold a four-game lead over second-placed Leicester Riders with eight regular-season games remaining, and the play-offs begin in May. No British club has ever completed a four-trophy domestic and European clean sweep in a single season — Leicester managed a treble in 2017-18, but the Europe Cup eluded them.
- Williams has started all 31 Lions games this season across SLB, cup and European competition
- His 7.2 rebounds per game ranks fourth in the Super League
- The Lions are 24-3 in domestic competition since the start of November
- Friday’s win over Manchester was their 11th consecutive home victory at the Copper Box
What it means for British basketball
Williams’ return matters beyond the trophy cabinet. British basketball has long suffered from a talent drain — the country’s best players have historically had to leave to develop, and many have never returned. The collapse of the old British Basketball League in 2023 and the subsequent launch of Super League Basketball was designed to change that, with higher salary caps, central marketing and investment from the 777 Partners group bankrolling the Lions.
“When I left, there wasn’t a pathway here that made sense for a player with EuroCup-level options,” Williams said. “Now there is. If the league keeps growing, the next Deane Williams doesn’t have to spend a decade abroad to get the experience. He can build it here.”
GB head coach Marc Steutel has already confirmed Williams will be in his squad for the EuroBasket 2027 qualifiers in November, a campaign that begins with a difficult double-header against Greece and Lithuania. Williams won his 24th senior cap during the most recent international window and has not ruled out playing on through to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, where Britain will be attempting to qualify for the men’s basketball tournament for the first time since hosting in 2012.
For now, though, the focus is the four trophies still in play. The Lions return to action on Wednesday against Caledonia Gladiators in Glasgow, before the FIBA Europe Cup second leg in Chemnitz on Saturday. Seven countries, one world tour — and a chance to make British basketball history at the end of it.
Sports journalist and editor at SportsPortal.net. Covers cricket, football, Formula 1, tennis, and basketball with a focus on how global sports connect with Pakistani audiences. Follows the PSL, Pakistan national cricket team, Premier League, and major international tournaments. Has reported on sports for digital audiences since 2021.
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