TJ Walker, player coach of BiG Storage Cheshire Jets, has moved to add a young British-born star to the roster for the new BBL season which tips-off in a matter of weeks on the 23 rd September.

The player in question is 6’4” Marc Pratt   who was born in London in 1982 and has just graduated from Towson University in Maryland USA, where he was   one of around 400 foreign players playing in the elite   NCAA Division I schools.

TJ describes Marc as “extremely athletic” and adds “when he takes good shots he usually makes them – and he usually takes good shots!   He will fit into my guard-orientated pattern of play for the Jets next season – filling the no.3 spot”

BiG Storage Cheshire Jets  Director of Basketball, Paul Smith, added, “ we are delighted to welcome Marc to the Jets;   one because he is British-born and we are keen to demonstrate to the youngsters who will be involved in the community programme starting in September that there is no reason why they cannot achieve the same level of success, given the same level of talent and commitment, but also because he is exactly the sort of player that TJ is determined to bring on board – young, skilful, enthusiastic and committed – to bring success back to the Jets organisation.”

[Trivia Moment 1    Marc is the second Englishman to play basketball at Towson University - Jason Crump - once of the Jets played there for two years from 1993-95]

Marc began playing basketball when he was about 10-years-old for various clubs, most notably Crystal Palace and London Towers where one of his team mates was Pops Mensah-Bonsu now with Dallas Mavericks and a member of the GB squad.   It was his London Towers coach, the late Joe White, who steered him to High School in the states, where he played in the same team as Richard Midgeley who will also play in the BBL this year with the Newcastle Eagles.   He has played for the England International team in under 15 and under 16 and in 2005 he played for Great Britain in the World University Games held in Turkey where one of his team mates was Nick George - originally from Manchester - who had an outstanding career at Virginia Commonwealth College before heading for the NBA. Marc and Nick have been friends/opponents for years when they competed for different club teams while they were in England.  

[Trivia Moment 2   When Marc was at Modesto Christian [ High] School, as well as basketball he played football, [or soccer as they called it there] and he ended up top scorer for the school team with 13 goals!]

Marc is the third signing made by TJ Walker for the rejuvenated BiG Storage Cheshire Jets squad for the new BBL season, joining forward David Radlovic and guard Jayson Obazuaye.   Further signings are expected in the near future as the player-coach finalises his roster.