Beyond the Court: The exclusive Teesside Lions roster interviews
- Ben Sedgwick
- Feb 19
- 6 min read
Updated: Feb 20
Fiontan Rogers
Section 1: Basketball
Earliest memory of picking up a basketball: Secondary school basketball
"Go-to" move to secure the win: Harden double step back three
Basketball idol growing up: Kyrie Irving
Favourite NBA team: Dallas Mavericks
Biggest strength as a player: Shooting
Section 2: Teesside Lions
Funniest teammate: AJ Harris
Best trainer: Zak Missouri
Worst trainer: Charlie Smythe
Locker room DJ: Hector Omitowoju (Taste: "Not bad")
Worst fashion sense: Benas Maldutis
Winner of a 1v1 tournament: ME
Section 3: Firsts
First basketball jersey owned: Giannis Bucks Jersey
First basketball game attended: College exhibition game
First basketball team played for: Belfast Phoenix
First men’s basketball team signed for: Belfast Phoenix
First points in men's basketball: In NBL, it was a three
Section 4: Hobbies and interests
Favourite music artist: Zach Bryan
Most rewatched movie: Grown Ups 1/2
Item couldn't live without: Guinness
Favourite hobby outside basketball: Lego
Favourite holiday destination: Thailand
Sam Forster
Section 1: Basketball
Earliest memory of picking up a basketball: School P.E. Secondary
"Go-to" move to secure the win: Drive spin layup
Basketball idol growing up: Giannis
Favourite NBA team: Bucks
Biggest strength as a player: Lay-ups
Section 2: Teesside Lions
Funniest teammate: Guillaume Groves
Best trainer: Miles Felletti-O’Donnell
Worst trainer: Benas Maldutis
Locker room DJ: Guillaume Groves (Taste: "No")
Worst fashion sense: Benas Maldutis
Winner of a 1v1 tournament: me
Section 3: Firsts
What is the first basketball jersey you owned? Steph Curry
What is the first basketball game you ever attended? Newcastle Eagles vs Leeds Force
What is the first basketball team you ever played for? Oxclose Outlaws
What is the first men's basketball team you signed for? Northumbria First Team
How did you score your first points in men's basketball and who was it against? 3 pointer vs Loughborough
Section 4: Hobbies and interests
Who is your favourite music artist or artists at the moment? Sam Fender
Which movie have you rewatched the most? The Hangover
What TV shows have you been watching recently? Brooklyn 99
What’s an item you couldn’t live without? Phone
What’s your favorite hobby outside of basketball? Darts
What’s the favourite place you have ever been on holiday? Prague
Miles Felletti-O’Donnell
Section 1: Basketball
Earliest memory of picking up a basketball: Probably high school basketball
"Go-to" move to secure the win: Got to get to some sort of jumpshot
Basketball idol growing up: Watched a lot of the Glasgow Rocks Games so, Rob Yanders and Sterling Davis
Favourite NBA team: Golden State Warriors '07 and '16
Biggest strength as a player: Shooting
Section 2: Teesside Lions
Funniest teammate: Mike Hood
Worst fashion sense: Benas Maldutis
Winner of a 1v1 tournament: ME
Section 3: Firsts
First basketball jersey owned: Nerlens Noel Philly Jersey
First basketball game attended: That was a while ago, Probably a Glasgow Rocks BBL Game
First basketball team played for: Glasgow Rens
First PRO basketball team signed for: I signed out in Iceland for Protur Vogum but had to come home due to visa issues
First PRO points in men's basketball: Back to Back Three Pointers vs Father Mathews in the Irish league
Section 4: Hobbies and interests
Favourite music artist: Zach Bryan
Most rewatched movie: Glory Road
Recent TV shows: Fallout
Item couldn't live without: Hoop shoes
Favourite hobby outside basketball: Spending time with my girlfriend + lifting weights
Favourite holiday destination: Portugal
Hector Omitowoju
Section 1: Basketball
Earliest memory of picking up a basketball: Primary school lunchtime with my friends
"Go-to" move to secure the win: Tween Cross
Basketball idol growing up: Naz Reid
Favourite NBA team: Timberwolves
Biggest strength as a player: Downhill
Section 2: Teesside Lions
Funniest teammate: Manny (Emmanuel Adeniyi)
Best/Worst trainer: Fiontan Rogers
Locker room DJ: Me (Taste: "I love the music")
Worst fashion sense: Benas Maldutis
Winner of a 1v1 tournament: Me
Section 3: Firsts
First basketball jersey owned: Giannis
First basketball game attended: Newcastle Eagles
First basketball team played for: Richmond Vikings
First men’s basketball team signed for: Teesside Lions
First points in men's basketball: Sheffield Arrows (5pts - 3 and free throws)
Section 4: Hobbies and interests
Favourite music artist: Tems
Most rewatched movie: Fantastic Mr Fox
Recent TV shows: Last Chance U
Item couldn't live without: A Basketball
Favourite hobby outside basketball: Listening to Music
Favourite holiday destination: St. Lucia
Name: Charlie Smythe
Section 1: Basketball
What is your earliest memory of picking up a basketball?
Primary school club
If the game is on the line and you have the ball, what is your "go-to" move to secure the win?
Sitween step back
Who was your basketball idol growing up?
Kobe
Which NBA team is your favourite?
Chicago Bulls
What do you think is your biggest strength as a player?
Corner shooting
Section 2: Teesside Lions
Who is your funniest teammate?
Marcello Maffezoli
Who is the best trainer?
Fiotan Rodgers
Who picks the music in the locker room and do you like their taste?
Hector Omitowoju — No
Who has the worst fashion sense?
Benas Maldutis
Which player on your team would win in a 1v1 tournament? (can pick yourself)
Me
Section 3: Firsts
What is the first basketball jersey you owned?
Anthony Davis on the Pelicans
What is the first basketball game you ever attended?
At my local club.
What is the first basketball team you ever played for?
West Suffolk Wolves
What is the first men's basketball team you signed for?
Ipswich Basketball Club
How did you score your first points in men's basketball and who was it against?
3 pointer -> Westminster
Section 4: Hobbies and interests
Who is your favourite music artist or artists at the moment?
Gunna
Which movie have you rewatched the most?
Wolf of Wall Street
What TV shows have you been watching recently?
Plebs, Brooklyn 99
What’s an item you couldn’t live without?
Airfryer
What’s your favorite hobby outside of basketball?
Poker
What’s the favourite place you have ever been on holiday?
Croatia - Dubrovnik
Jaydon Wise-Malcolm
Section 1: Basketball
Earliest memory of picking up a basketball: When I was like 13 going to my local court
"Go-to" move to secure the win: Post spin move into step through
Basketball idol growing up: Joel Embiid / Giannis
Favourite NBA team: Pelicans
Biggest strength as a player: Finishing at the rim / athleticism
Section 2: Teesside Lions
Funniest teammate: Mike Hood
Best trainer: Mike Hood
Worst trainer: Chello (Marcello Maffezoli)
Locker room DJ: Me
Worst fashion sense: Benas Maldutis
Winner of a 1v1 tournament: Miles Felletti
Section 3: Firsts
What is the first basketball jersey you owned? Giannis
What is the first basketball game you ever attended? Newcastle Eagles
What is the first basketball team you ever played for? Richmond Vikings
What is the first men's basketball team you signed for? Teesside Lions
How did you score your first points in men's basketball and who was it against? Sheffield Arrows - 5pts (3 and free throws)
Section 4: Hobbies and interests
Who is your favourite music artist or artists at the moment? Tems
Which movie have you rewatched the most? Fantastic Mr Fox
What TV shows have you been watching recently? Last Chance U
What's an item you couldn't live without? A Basketball
What's your favorite hobby outside of basketball? Listening to music
What's the favourite place you have ever been on holiday? St. Lucia
Player Profile: AJ Harris
Section 1: Basketball
What is your earliest memory of picking up a basketball? Year 5 Primary School
If the game is on the line and you have the ball, what is your "go-to" move to secure the win? Between the legs step-back
Who was your basketball idol growing up? D-Wade
Which NBA team is your favourite? Miami Heat
What do you think is your biggest strength as a player? My Athleticism
Section 2: Teesside Lions
Who is your funniest teammate? Charlie
Who trains the best and who is the worst trainer? Best - Miles; Worst - Benas
Who picks the music in the locker room and do you like their taste? Benas - yes
Who has the worst fashion sense? Jayden Wise-Malcolm
Which player on your team would win in a 1v1 tournament? (can pick yourself) Myself
Samuel Mamuini
Section 1: Basketball
What is your earliest memory of picking up a basketball? Year 2
If the game is on the line and you have the ball, what is your "go-to" move to secure the win? Hesi pull
Who was your basketball idol growing up? Lebron
What do you think is your biggest strength as a player? Strength
Section 2: Teesside Lions
Who is your funniest teammate? Zak
Which player on your team would win in a 1v1 tournament? (can pick yourself) Me
Section 3: Firsts
What is the first basketball jersey you owned? Miami Heat
What is the first basketball game you ever attended? Eagles
What is the first basketball team you ever played for? Westgate Hoopstars
What is the first men’s basketball team you signed for? Eagles
Section 4: Hobbies and interests
Who is your favourite music artist or artists at the moment? NBA Youngboy
Which movie have you rewatched the most? Shutter Island
What TV shows have you been watching recently? Silo / The Beast In Me
What’s an item you couldn’t live without? Basketball
What’s your favorite hobby outside of basketball? Watching TV / Eating
What’s the favourite place you have ever been on holiday? Spain, Mallorca
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