AMBASSADORS
Check out all the ambassadors and brand representatives that we are working with across the UK.
Abdi Jama
Introduced to wheelchair basketball at a school taster session by GB’s Ade Orogbemi, Abdi Jama relished the fast-paced nature of the sport and has gone on to become one of the best 1.0 players in the world.
Starting out with local Liverpool team Vikings, Abdi has since travelled the world competing for clubs in Germany, Italy, Spain, and Australia – earning the prestigious double with Italian club Briantea in 2016 with his third Italian Championship title and second Coppa Italia gold medal.
A double U22 European Champion with the GB Junior Team, Abdi won bronze at his Paralympic debut in Beijing (2008). In 2010, Abdi then assisted the senior GB Team to 5th place at the World Championships before in 2011 he played a fundamental role in the team’s gold medal campaign at the 2011 European Championships.
Abdi’s second Paralympic Games in 2012 saw him named co-captain of ParalympicsGB’s Wheelchair Basketball Team with Matt Byrne, leading them to the bronze medal game where they narrowly lost to the USA.
Abdi continued to build upon his international success, captaining Great Britain to a consecutive European Championship gold medal (2013, Germany) and earning a place in the All Star Team. In 2015 Abdi secured a third consecutive European title and another Championship All Star Team, playing a crucial role in the team’s gold medal winning campaign and Rio 2016 qualification (where the team went on to win bronze).
The 2018, Abdi was part of the GB Men’s team who made history by claiming the nations first World Championship title, and the first to reach a semi-final game in 16 years. Making history on the Hamburg courts this August the GB men defeated the world’s leading wheelchair basketball nations; taking wins against Paralympic Silver medalists Spain and ultimately served the USA a final game defeat, their first in four years.
A devout Muslim, Abdi’s faith is integral in all that he does – both on and off the basketball court – and forms the foundation from which Abdi continues to build his achievements.
Abdi was born in Burao, Somalia and grew up in Liverpool.
Major Results:
2018 World Championships, Hamburg, Germany – Gold
2017 European Championships, Tenerife, Spain – silver
2016 Paralympics, Rio, Brazil – bronze
2015 European Championships, Worcester, UK – gold
2014 World Championships, Incheon, South Korea – 7th
2013 European Championships, Frankfurt, Germany – gold
2012 London Paralympic Games – 4th
2011 European Championships, Nazareth, Israel – gold
2010 World Championships, Birmingham, UK – 5th
2009 European Championships, Adana, Turkey – bronze
2008 Beijing Paralympic Games – bronze
2007 European Championships, Wetzlar, Germany – silver
Georgia Jones
Welcome New Sixthman Ambassador Georgia Jones to the team. Georgia who is currently with Great Britain’s Women’s Team competing in Euro Basket is our latest ambassador and with some significance been our first lady ambassador on board.
Georgia has a wealth of experience and her basketball CV is quiet some thing. Check it out!
GB Senior women’s international debut in 2006 against Norway at age 16 and remains the youngest player to represent the senior GB team. Currently having 61 caps for GB.
Represented Team England and won a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games 2018.
Oral Roberts University 2008-2012 – Conference Newcomer of the year 2008-2009. Summer League Conference Winners 2010 and 2011. Sweet 16 of WNIT 2011.
Competed in the 2009 (Serbia) and 2011 (China) World University Games for GB.
Competed in first FIBA 3×3 World Championship for England in Athens 2012.
Played professionally in Romania for Cluj-Napoca – January to April 2013.
Played Leicester Riders 2013-2016 – Division Playoff Champions 2014 (Final MVP). Loughborough University BUCS Champions 2015.
Manchester Mystics 2016-2019 –
WBBL Cup Winners 2017
Competitions:
Great Britain – 2007 EuroBasket (division B ), 2009 EuroBasket (division A), 2013 EuroBasket (final round), 2017 FIBA Eurobasket (qualifiers), 2019 EuroBasket (final round), 2009 and 2011 World University Games.
England – 2004, 2005, 2006 Under 16 European Championships (division B, 2007 Under 18 European Championships (division B )
2018 Commonwealth Games,
2012 FIBA 3×3 World Championship.
Orlan Jackman
Orlan is a well recognised basketball player in the BBL. Currently at home with the London City Royals. Orlan has represented England U18’s, Great Britain U20’s and recently England at the Common Wealth Games.
Here is a short blog from Orlan himself…….
“I went to Homerton College of Technology. Same school as Drew Sullivan and Paul Guede, just to name drop. Started playing for fun in year 8/9 when Joe White and Richard Fergus saw me in P.E. and invited me to take a Maths test for some free basketball trainers. Growing up in Hackney and seeing the opportunities, or lack thereof, I promised myself that if I made it to the NBA I would provide opportunities for the youths to do something productive.
When I passed the test, I got the trainers and played football in them! A year later, I played my first organised game at Park View Academy where I met Ben Smart. Skip forward a few years and now I am playing for England Under 18s where i met Jeff Jones who was the Head Coach. We came fourth at the European Tournament. Funnily enough, a guy named Ashley Hamilton was on that team too.
So, now you guys understand why I want to be in the community and doing things for the youths, a promise that I made to myself over 15 years ago.
Skip forward to November 2017, when I found out that I could represent England in the Commonwealth Games Gold Coast. Other than the MASSIVE honour of representing my country, another reason I wanted to make the team is so that I would be able to inspire kids from where I am from to make the right choice in life and to work hard. Once I had arrived back from the Gold Coast, I sent out over 100 emails to people in positions that would allow me to help and spoke to people like Joe Ikhinmwin and Peter Bakare for advice, as they have been involved in their community for a long time and are doing great things.
Hackney Council responded as I am a Hackney boy and with the help of Sarah Gilmore of the Cheshire phoenix, where I was playing at the time, successful pitched my idea to them. They looked for schools that wanted to be apart of the Orlan Jackman Ltd basketball program. The first school was a People Referral Unit School, commonly known as a PRU and after that Sebright Primary in Haggerston. I completed my 6 week program and invited the to a game. They LOVED it and to see the joy on their faces of what they could become if they worked hard was priceless! “
Mark Jackson
Mark Jackson needs no introduction having played out in the states at university level in Chicago then graduated and came back to play in the BBL for Thames Valley Tigers at the time for 3 seasons before moving on to Brighton Bears for one season. Before finishing his proffesional playing career for the Solent Stars in division one.
He now teaches and is the Head coach at Brockenhurst College in Hampshire where he runs the academy program. It’s an absolute pleasure having Mark as an ambassador and it shows we are moving in the right direction.
Craig Sorrell
I’m excited to announce that I have been given the opportunity to be a partner at Sixthman Basketball UK!
Sixthman represents everything I believe in when it comes to basketball and business. I offer experience, knowledge and understanding. Combined with friendly honest communication skills, passion and motivation to support and grow Basketball in the UK.
Karl and I both share the same visions and dreams so I’m confident that between us, Sixthman will continue to offer an unbeatable service and product.
I strongly believe Sixthman will be the No.1 place to go for all basketball team wear in the UK very soon and can’t wait to see where the future takes us!