Getting to know Lisa Williams, 2024 Coach Developer of the Year, ahead of the Jr. NBA 3v3 Finals  

The Jr. NBA 3v3 Finals will take place on Friday 6 June at Trafalgar Square, with the 10 best teams from secondary schools in the five regions of London (central, north, east, south, and west) taking part in the first-ever competitive basketball event at the iconic location. The programme also encourages wider participation among primary school children to learn and be taught 3v3 in their schools. 

There are few better than Williams at recognising stars of the present. The Croydon College sports lecturer oversaw the five Area Finals of the Jr. NBA 3v3 competition, which took place from Tuesday 6 to Thursday 15 May. Williams’ contribution to tutoring others was acknowledged in December 2024 when she was named Coach Developer of the Year at the UK Coaching Awards, and she is determined to keep driving progress and participation. 

Williams has coached more than 130 Londoners aged 16 to 30, plus thousands of coaches who she has mentored in her role as a coach of Basketball England. 

Williams: It is very important that organisations and individuals keep working to introduce basketball to more young people. That is the value of initiatives such as the Jr. NBA 3v3 programme which grows ties with schools, gets boys and girls active, and gives a platform for some serious talent to showcase their skills. 

The game of basketball is evolving and the 3v3 format is becoming more available to young people. We now have 3x3 Basketball in the Olympic Games and events such as Ball Out [the UK’s biggest 3x3 event] really show how popular this sport is. At this level it is important to develop the skills and confidence early so the players can play quicker and smarter. This gives them the ability to impact the 5v5 game, and it also gives more people an opportunity to play as this is available in the parks and recreationally, as well as in schools. 

Williams: We have seen some real talent so far, including 16-year-olds who are already 6ft 9in who can flush [dunk] the ball and I have seen kids that can pass the ball really well too, which demonstrates a strong basketball IQ. What has been really encouraging is the number of girls who are playing. Yes, there are less [taking part] than boys, but we need to have a pathway for girls, and this event gives us hope that there is a way for them to be successful. 

Williams: I want to see a highlight reel of kids showing exactly what they can do. We will have five boys’ teams and five girls’ teams playing hard and competitive basketball and if I see that then that will represent a successful first year of this initiative. For the growth of the sport, it doesn’t necessarily matter which school is the winner or which area of London, but is it important that we see good, competitive matches and that those who are there are having fun and want to continue to grow in the sport. 

Williams: I am very proud to be involved as it represents my full-circle journey. I coached Jenelle [Grant, a member of the NBA Europe and Middle East Basketball Operations team who is involved with the event] at a regional youth tournament in London, and that reinforces the legacy piece of being able to impact young people and leave an impression on them so that they want to stay involved in the sport. That Jenelle wanted to stay in the sport and do similar things with others’ development is great. 

Events like this can leave a lasting impression. I remember when I was younger, and I played in 3v3 events at places like Battersea Park and Waterloo and these are so important. We have missed events such as this for a while but now we have Jr. NBA 3v3 which gives teams a chance to build for something that can play an important role in their lives.