It is only the fifth time that Britain’s women have qualified and they start their campaign against the hosts before playing France on Friday and Germany on Sunday.
“You’re very lucky to get to play in EuroBasket – it’s a really prestigious event – and this is the first one I’m going to experience,” says Winterburn. “We’re a really talented team. We haven’t had the same amount of preparation as others, but that could work in our favour and I’m excited to see what we can achieve.”
“The way we play is very unpredictable – we don’t have an established way of playing like France. We work hard and we have a lot of threats on the court. Other teams have been in camp for six to eight weeks, which can be tiring after a long season. We’ve been able to rest, to get our minds and bodies ready for the tournament.”
Success on the international stage could create a swell of interest in basketball in the UK. It is already the joint-second- most played sport in England after football, according to Sport England’s Active Lives Survey which found more than a million under-16s play once a week.
‘There is so much untapped potential’
Yet Winterburn believes there is work to be done to ensure that figure is maintained at adult level.
“I’ve read all the stats, how it’s the second-most participated sport, and there are so many opportunities basketball can offer, a scholarship in America can be life-changing, and there is so much untapped potential.”
“There has to be better coaching at a younger age. There is a lot of participation, but it does not turn into elite [level]. I’ve spent a lot of time in Spain and there are five- and six-year-olds doing complex drills, really learning… immersed in basketball, it’s like football here.”
“They watch basketball, their dads play basketball, there’s more involvement at younger ages. It’s also about the ability to watch basketball. Sky Sports put out a few of our games and NBA games, but it would be good to have regularly scheduled programming.”
More exposure also helps to create role models, players who can inspire the next generation. Winterburn may still consider herself a young player but at last month’s Hoopsfix All-Star Classic, which gives under-19s the chance to showcase their talent in front of scouts from elite teams and US colleges, she found herself garnering attention courtside.
“Hoopsfix is the unsung hero of our sport with the platform they give us. It’s the best against the best,” says Winterburn, who was MVP at the event in 2019.
