• Home
• News

10 March 2026  6 min read

From London roots to GB veteran: Cheridene Green on tears and triumphs

A 6’ 3” presence in the paint known for her intelligence and physicality, the London-born forward has been a key contributor since 2019 and was part of the historic squad that achieved a programme-best fourth-place finish at the EuroBasket Women 2019.

She is a key part of the GB squad that faces Switzerland in Fribourg on Wednesday evening in Women's EuroBasket 2027 Qualification before a Manchester double-header against Austria (Saturday) and Norway (next Tuesday) for which tickets are on sale now.

Yet Green’s journey into the sport, she now represents at the highest level, began in far more modest fashion. Growing up in London as one of six siblings, basketball was simply one of many activities she enjoyed as a child.

She first picked up the game at the age of nine with London Towers under the guidance of coach Mick Lloyd, before continuing her development with Len Busch at Sevenoaks.

“I never thought when I was a kid that basketball was something I’d pursue,” Green explained. “I just played because I enjoyed it and liked being active. I did netball, trampolining, track and field, shot putt — all sorts.”

She admitted, that in those early years, she didn’t even realise she had a natural ability for basketball.

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by BasketballEngland (@bballengland)

“I didn’t realise I was any good at the game until people started telling me, to be honest,” she said. “I was a fast learner and had a passion for it but didn’t think anything else of it. I was hard on myself when I started playing — if I made a mistake or missed a shot I’d cry my eyes out and fall apart.

“A lot of Len’s coaching back then was telling me to just chill out and enjoy it, but the way I responded showed how much I cared and it pushed me to take my development more seriously.”

That determination eventually opened doors across the Atlantic — though not in the way Green initially expected.

Despite attracting interest from colleges in the United States, the offers she received from NCAA programmes didn’t quite meet her expectations for the next steps of her career.

Rather than settling, she made the difficult decision to take a different route and attend junior college, a move that would prove transformative for her development.

“I chose to go to JUCO because I wasn’t satisfied with the offers I had from NCAA,” Green explained. “My coach there, Thomas Davis, just turned me into a beast. He brought the toughness out of me and pushed me to a new level.”

Green in GB practice ahead of the clash with Switzerland on Wednesday

The experience sharpened both her mentality and her game, preparing her for the next step of her career. After a period of growth and development in JUCO, the opportunity she had been waiting for finally arrived — a chance to join one of the most prestigious programmes in women’s basketball.

Green would go on to make history as the first international player to sign for the University of Tennessee, one of the most recognisable institutions in the sport.

Her international career with Great Britain truly began in 2019, when she joined a talented group led by head coach José María Buceta. That squad went on to achieve the best result in the programme’s history at EuroBasket, a moment that remains a defining memory for Green.

“That team was incredible,” she recalled. “We had players like Johannah Leedham-Warner, Temi Fagbenle, Karlie Samuelson, Stef Collins, Rachel Vanderwal, and Chantelle Handy. It was amazing and I was so happy playing that it made me hungry to stay involved.”

More than results, however, Green remembers the culture that group built — one centred around resilience, professionalism and togetherness.

Green was part of the 2019 GB squad that reached the Women's EuroBasket semi-finals

“My personality is that I’m always trying to be happy and upbeat,” she said. “I want anyone coming into camp to feel that as well. If we’re enjoying playing and enjoying each other’s company, we’ll play our best basketball.”

Among the current squad, Green sees herself as something of a connector between generations.

“I feel like the fun auntie of the group,” she laughed. “But I try to lead by example and get to know my team-mates — what motivates them, what they need. If somebody needs something, they can always ask me. I just want everyone to feel comfortable and at home with this team.”

That environment continues to evolve under current Head Coach Krumesh Patel, whose collaborative approach has resonated strongly with the experienced forward.

“My conversations with Krumesh are always great — positive, detailed and encouraging,” Green explained.

“He’s a great communicator and open to contributions from players, which really helps. I’m a perfectionist, so having that level of detail from a coach makes me feel comfortable in what I can bring to the team.”

With the national team now entering another important chapter in its development, Green believes the opportunity ahead is an exciting one.

“I think the opportunity we have now is amazing. We did pretty well in the first window and this one is about continuing that progress and achieving our goal of qualifying for the next stage.”

For a player who began her journey as a nine-year-old simply looking for a fun way to stay active, the career that followed still feels surreal at times.

“If I could go back and tell my younger self what they’d achieve when they first started playing basketball, they’d think I was crazy,” she admitted. “That kid was crying every day because they couldn’t make a basket, so to be here now would be wild to them.”

And when the time eventually comes to reflect on her career, Green hopes the legacy she leaves behind will be defined less by statistics and more by the impact she had on the people around her.

“I just want to be remembered as someone who made a positive contribution — as a good team-mate. That’s more important to me than records. My younger self would never believe I’d achieve this, but I’d just tell them to keep going, keep being themselves, and never dim their light for anyone.”

Interview: Jamie Thomas

Get tickets for GB v Austria & Norway

Kitty Henderson’s journey in red, white and blue

Savannah Wilkinson on her GB journey to belonging

Krumesh Patel on leadership, identity & opportunity