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Top NBA coach visits Leeds Beckett

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Top NBA coach visits Leeds Beckett

5 December 2018

Hot shot NBA coach Dave Hopla delivered Basketball master classes to Leeds Beckett Basketball and the City of Leeds Basketball Academy players.

The NBA shooting coach has worked with the biggest stars in basketball and will be passing on his years of top quality coach and expertise to juniors from the City of Leeds Basketball Academy and Beckett’s very own basketball team.

Dave has worked as a shooting coach, and a consultant, for the NBA's biggest clubs including the Toronto Raptors, Washington Wizards and New York Knicks and has worked with the biggest stars of the game.

World renowned NBA star Kobe Bryant said “I never miss an opportunity to work with Dave. His knowledge, wisdom, energy, love and passion are second to none.”

Ray Allen, of “Dave has helped not only my shooting but my overall game.” Ray Allen said, while former Sacramento Kings head coach George Karl said “Dave’s the greatest shooter in the universe.”

Dave has worked previously with Leeds Beckett's Head Coach, and City of Leeds founder, Matthew Newby on many occasions and the duo were excited to link up again, as Dave delivered multiple sessions for the junior academy and will link up with Beckett's senior basketball squad.

Basketball programme flying high at Beckett

Beckett's rich basketball history has seen head coach Matt at the forefront of the university’s success. Matt has developed a strong pathway for players to improve, and has seen many players graduate to Beckett's senior team from the city's grassroots options, including City of Leeds.

As a founder of the City of Leeds Basketball Academy, based at Allerton High School in North Leeds, Matt’s provides juniors in Leeds the opportunity to play basketball, develop their skills and provided a pathway to the top junior leagues in the country.

Several players from the City of Leeds Academy have gone on to achieve great feats, with four graduates from the academy now based in the USA through scholarships in the sport. The club also have four Allerton graduates enrol at Leeds Beckett University and compete for the university’s BUCS team, including students Edney Lopes, Max Ngonji, Subhan Hussain and Jusitin Missick who combine their studies with a strong sporting offer.

Beckett’s women’s team captain Katie Lamond, another City of Leeds graduate, helps to coach the Academy’s youth team and is applying her real world experience to her BSc Sports Coaching course at the university.

Coach Matt is proud of the club’s development programme and hopes to see more academy players feature for Beckett’s team in the future:

Matt said “Seeing local players benefit from the pathway we have built in the city is important,”

“Sport will always be a terrific vehicle for young men and women to foster positive attitudes and behaviours that don’t just apply in the sporting domain but in education and life,

“Seeing the likes of Katie Edney, Max, Subhan and Justin and the journeys they have each taken is humbling and rewarding.”

Well done to Matt, City of Leeds and Leeds Beckett on the master classes.

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