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ACHARA ENDS HIS INTERNATIONAL CAREER

Great Britain captain Kieron Achara is retiring from international basketball.

The Glasgow Rocks forward bows out after making 105 appearances for GB – second only to long-time team-mate Eric Boateng – since making his debut in 2008.

He led the team with 16 points against China in their lone victory at the 2012 Olympic Games in London and played at three EuroBasket finals. Achara was also Scotland’s youngest-ever cap at age 16 and skippered the side in their run to the semi-finals at this year’s Commonwealth Games.

But after turning 35 in July, and with GB about to start on the qualifying process for the 2021 Euros with a fixture against Austria in Manchester later this month, the Scot insisted it felt right to take his leave.

“We have a great group of young guys with a massive amount of talent coming through and my desire is that there is room for them to have the same kind of journey that I’ve had,” he said.

“And after almost 20 years of playing internationally, it’s probably the time for me to focus on other things in life and to start looking ahead to life after basketball when I eventually finish playing for Glasgow Rocks.

“It’s been an amazing experience, with playing at an Olympic Games and EuroBaskets for GB and tournaments for Scotland, with some amazing team-mates and coaches. Captaining my country has just been a huge honour, more than I could ever have imagined when I was a wee big kid playing for Falkirk Fury.”

Listen to the MVP Cast conversation with Kieron Achara

A borderline selection for Great Britain at the outset, he was left out of the squad for EuroBasket 2011 but fought back to become an integral part of Chris Finch’s Olympic squad and then became skipper under Joe Prunty upon the retirement of Drew Sullivan.

Dan Clark is expected to take over as GB captain but Achara’s vocal influence on and off the court is likely to be missed.

“Every good team and organisation needs a player and person like Kieron, an always-ready, do whatever it takes professional with an engaging personality that team-mates gravitate to,” Finch, now an assistant coach at the NBA’s New Orleans Hornets, said.

“Kieron was always there for his country when called and as you would expect from someone like him he gave his all. It never failed to impress me the commitment these guys made to the game they love, their country and their teammates. Thank you Kieron.”

Others among his past colleagues paid their own tributes.

“Having the opportunity to play with Kieron internationally was truly special,” said former NBA and Great Britain centre Robert Archibald. “He is a consummate team-mate and professional, a guy you always wanted to line up next to going into the toughest of competitions. He brought an unmatched passion to the GB Olympic team in 2012 and accomplished a huge amount on the international stage both for GB and Scotland.”

Achara already has a developmental role with Basketball Scotland but there will be calls to find him an integral role within the British basketball firmament with his post-playing career plans bolstered by his participation in FIBA’s Time Out programme.

And he said: “I will still be engaged with British basketball and I’ll be cheering the guys on against Austria and elsewhere.”

Marc Steutel, the GB Under-20 men’s coach, is set to replace the unavailable German Gabriel on Alberto Lorenzo’s coaching staff for the Austrian clash.

Photo: Mansoor Ahmed

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