Cork's Timmy McCarthy to be inducted into Basketball Hall of Fame

Timmy McCarthy is one of four people who will be inducted into the Basketball Ireland Hall of Fame in a ceremony later this year.

Mary Baneham, Karen Hennessey, and Lennie McMillian will also be inducted as part of the class of 2023.

Corkman McCarthy is a former Ireland captain and coach as well as a League and Cup winner with Blue Demons before retiring aged 29 after capturing his third Player of the Year award.

He is best known now as RTÉ's Olympic basketball commentator, with his unique brand of enthusiasm and well-known slogans proving a hit with audiences.

Mary Baneham broke new ground continuously during her involvement in the sport of basketball. Starting off as chairperson of the Dublin Ladies Board, Baneham’s administrative endeavours lasted more than four decades, including time served as President of the Irish Basketball Association, becoming the first woman to hold such office in a FIBA-recognised country.

Karen Hennessey had a distinguished playing career, representing her country 70 times, 33 of those caps coming as captain. She’s synonymous with Meteors Basketball Club, whom she led to National Cup titles in 1992 and 1996, as well as National League honours in 1993 and 1996. Her personal accolades include an International Player of The Year Award in 1997, as well as being honoured by the Olympic Council of Ireland for her outstanding contribution to basketball. She later coached the Irish U20 Women’s team to the European Championships.

Lennie McMillian is widely known as one of the greatest all-round American players to play in Ireland. He arrived in 1981, averaging 29-points per game for Blue Demons, before leading Burgerland Neptune to their first ever National League title the following season. McMillian picked up four National Cup crowns during a career which lasted well into the noughties with clubs including Tolka Rovers, Notre Dame, Tridents and Longford Falcons, making him along with Jerome Westbrooks, the longest serving American players in the history of the National League.