Hoop dreams: We need stars the kids can emulate, says Bernard O’Byrne

Irish basketball chief Bernard O’Byrne admits the sport needs some “Irish icons” to help move the game in this country to the next level.

Basketball boasts huge playing numbers underage, and an enviable gender balance, but O’Byrne admits there’s still a lot of progress to be made in the sport in Ireland.

“You must accept some truths, we are never going to surpass soccer and GAA and so you accept what’s impossible and then look at what’s doable. We have the No 1 indoor sport in this country in a climate where you need an indoor sport. We have a fantastic demographic split between male and female (50-50) which no other sport has.