The British Basketball League (BBL) has confirmed the return of its popular All-Star Game later this year and you can vote for who you want to take part in it, including our very own Manchester Giants.
Just like in the famous NBA format that inspired it, which is taking place for the 73rd time on 18 February, the UK’s equivalent is happening just a month later and will also see the first-ever All-Star Women’s Game in the exhibition’s 25-year on-and-off history.
The All-Star event as we know it today — which features a North vs South face-off between players from the male and female leagues, as well as a skills competition, three-point shootout and the famous Slam Dunk Contest — has been around for a decade now and is truly bigger than ever.
Scheduled for Sunday, 17 March 2024, voting for the British Basketball League All-Star Game is now open and fans can now vote for their favourite players and who they want to play each other this year. Naturally, we expect plenty of Manchester Giants to be on that list.
To vote, all you need to do is pick out five players from the North and five from the South on the combined rosters for both the men’s and women’s divisions. You can do so HERE.
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When it comes to the Giants players up for selection this year, they include the likes of SF Evan Walshe, young Canadian point guard Mason Bourcier who is making his debut campaign; the club’s all-time leading scorer Callum Jones and forward Jamell Anderson, just to name a few.
While the men’s team might be currently second from bottom, they have still had some star players flying the flag for Greater Manchester this year and, better still, the women’s side sits in a very competitive mid-table position with plenty of the season left to play.
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That being said, it’ll be nice to so how the top talents and firm fan favourites from our local side fair playing alongside the BBL’s very best players, and it goes without saying that the inaugural All-Star Women’s Game will be a historic occasion not only for British basketball but women’s sport in general.
Voting is now open and you must make all of your selections (a centre, two forwards and two guards for each dream team) before the deadline at 7pm on 15 February.
You’ll also be pleased to know that there is no limit on picking players from the same time, so you could theoretically stack your two northern squads with nothing but Giants colours if you like. We often fall foul to that local bias in Fantasy Premier League but it’s all part of the fun at the end of the day.
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The British Basketball League’s 2023/24 All-Star Game takes place at the Copper Box Arena at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London from 12:30. You can grab your tickets HERE if you fancy travelling down but you best believe All Stars North are going home with the trophy.
And speaking of FPL, did you know we also brought back our own league this year? There’s still plenty of the season left to get involved and potentially win some prizes.
Luxury Manchester gym Blok confirms permanent closure after weeks of uncertainty
Daisy Jackson
Blok Manchester has announced its permanent closure, weeks after the doors to the premium fitness facility mysteriously closed.
Around a fortnight ago, members began to arrive to their classes to find the gym on Ducie Street locked up and a forfeiture notice on the door – but at the time, Blok said that it was fighting to reopen.
Sadly, in an email sent to members today, its founder has confirmed that the studio is now permanently closed.
Blok – which has several very successful sites down in London – said that its relationship with its landlord has ‘broken down to a point where trust has been lost’.
The gym wrote that it’s been left with ‘no workable way forward’.
They said: “BLOK Manchester was a space built by our loyal and dedicated community. Whether you joined us for one class or one hundred, we are deeply grateful. You helped create something genuinely special in an incredible city.”
In the immediate future, they said they’ll be supporting the team of fantastic trainers who worked here, as well as looking after members.
Members will be contacted within a few hours with options and refunds owed.
Blok Manchester has announced its permanent closure. Credit: The Manc Group
CEO and founder Ed Stanbury said: “While this marks the end of a chapter, we don’t see it as the end of our story in Manchester. We’re already speaking with developers about potential future sites and remain committed to returning to the city when the time is right.
“Thank you for being part of our story so far. Let’s shape the future of wellness. The mission continues.”
Commenting on Blok’s Instagram post – its first in almost a fortnight – people have been sharing their sadness at the closure of its Manchester site.
One person wrote: “beautiful space, beautiful staff and beautiful community.”
Another said: “Sending love to all the instructors !! :(((( gutted”
Someone else commented: “THE BEST CLASSES. I’m gutted.”
Manchester City plotting spending spree ‘before’ Club World Cup
Danny Jones
Manchester City are set to embark on somewhat of a spending spree this summer transfer window as the club’s higher-ups are looking to get business done before the 2025 Club World Cup.
With FIFA’s intercontinental club competition set to get underway in mid-June, the Blues don’t have too long to welcome in new players, but Man City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has reiterated their urgency regarding recruitment.
Despite having brought in four new acquisitions in a very short space of time last season, the 50-year-old argued that he wasn’t completely happy with the extent and speed of their business.
Giving a lengthy interview this week, CFG‘s founding chairman has imposed an internal deadline ahead of the lucrative knockout competition.
Speaking with club media, Khaldoon recognised that while there were incomings in January of this year, he believes they “should have been more aggressive in some of the changes we needed to do, adding that he believes it “cost [them].”
“I can tell you today, we have clearly identified who exactly [the targets are], in what positions, and we have our clear number one option, our clear number two option”, he continues.
More importantly, he goes on to add: “We’ll go about our business, and it will be very clear, very swift. Our objective is to try to be ready with the new squad for the Club World Cup.”
He also suggested the flurry of activity this past January was not just atypical of the administration, but felt the squad fell into a crisis state with the number of injuries, insisting they “had to act.”
City have already been linked with a hugely talented and highly-rated European target in the wake of Kevin De Bruyne‘s departure and a lack of strength in depth in midfield.
An initial bid is said to have been received already and will likely be the first of many City summer signings.
He also insisted that the players who joined last season weren’t scattershot, emergency transfers (perhaps barring the resigning of İlkay Gündoğan) but were the start of the rebuild and “gives [fans] an idea of what’s coming this summer.”
Another player linked with a move to the Etihad Stadium is Lyon star Rayan Cherki, who scored in big moments during their Europa League run this year, registering 32 goal contributions across all competitions throughout the 24/25 campaign.
Who would you like to see added to Pep Guardiola’s side this summer, then, Man City fans?
You can watch Khaldoon Al Mubarak’s interview in full down below:
Danny Jones -
10th January 2024 
