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1 March 2026  6 min read

Obsessed with the dream: Josh Uduje, belief without limits, and a first competitive cap for Great Britain

In many ways, that’s exactly why it works.

From starting basketball seriously at 13, to earning his first competitive cap for the Great Britain Men's team, the 23-year-old’s story is a reminder of what’s possible when ambition outweighs doubt - and when passion becomes non-negotiable.

“I was probably a bit delusional when I started,” he said, smiling. “But basketball was my plan A, B and C.”

That obsession has carried him from school gyms in London to NBA Summer League arenas, and now onto the senior international stage - a moment he doesn’t take lightly.

Finding basketball late - and falling hard

Unlike many elite players, basketball wasn’t Uduje’s first love. Or even second.

“I played a little bit in PE when I was eight or nine,” he explained. “But I wouldn’t say I was focused on basketball at all.”

Football and rugby came first. He was good at those, too - good enough to earn a rugby scholarship at school. Basketball, at that point, was barely on the radar.

Then came a rugby trip to Barcelona - and a video game.

“I brought back a copy of NBA 2K for my brother,” Uduje said. “But when I got home, I ended up playing it more than him.”

Something clicked.

“I just started thinking how much I’d love to actually play basketball,” he said.

By 13, the interest was real. By 15, it was all-consuming.

“I decided I wanted to stop playing rugby completely,” Uduje explained. “That was a big thing, because rugby was what I was known for.”

That choice wasn’t straightforward. Because of his rugby scholarship, his school initially would not allow him to play basketball, concerned it would interfere with his rugby commitments.

For nearly a year, he had to fight his corner, convincing teachers, coaches, and administrators that this wasn’t a distraction, but his future.

“Eventually, I managed to convince them to let me play,” he said. “And once that happened, everything took off.”

He joined London Thunder, but even then, nothing was handed to him.

“When I first started, I had to play one-on-one just to win a spot on the bench,” he recalled.

Progress came quickly. Almost unbelievably so.

“By January I was playing games. By the end of the year I was starting,” he said. “And by the end of the following year, I was the best player in the country.”

One moment that changed everything

Uduje’s rise nearly stalled before it really began. Despite his rapid improvement, he didn’t initially make his regional squad - the traditional pathway to England selection.

Then came a school competition game against Barking Abbey.

“I had something like 40 points,” he said casually.

In the building that day was coach James Vear.

“He asked who I was, why he hadn’t heard of me, and why I wasn’t playing for England,” Uduje recalled.

Uduje told him the truth.

“Next thing I know, I’m invited to England camp that December,” he said. “A crazy turn of events - but the dream was starting to come to life.”

From that point on, there was no backup plan.

“I genuinely thought going to America was just something I could decide to do,” Uduje said. “Which obviously isn’t the case.”

But belief can be powerful when it’s paired with work.

Touching the NBA dream

Last summer brought one of the defining experiences of Uduje’s career: NBA Summer League with the San Antonio Spurs.

After a strong final college season, he entered the pre-draft process - interviews, workouts, uncertainty.

“Come draft night, everything was up in the air,” he said. “I didn’t even know if I’d get a Summer League opportunity.”

Then the call came.

“The Spurs said they’d watched me all year and loved what I was about,” Uduje explained. “That I fit what they wanted.”

What followed was a month immersed in NBA life - San Antonio, San Francisco’s California Classic, and Las Vegas.

“I would’ve loved to have played more,” he admitted. “But just being there gave me a huge confidence boost.”

More importantly, it confirmed something he’d always believed.

“When I did get my opportunity, I showed that I belonged,” he said.

Sharing that experience with other British players made it even sweeter.

“Myself, Tosan Evbuomwan and Amari Williams all came through the junior age groups together,” he said. “Great Osobor was there too - it was surreal.”

It was proof, he says, that British basketball belongs on that stage.

Stepping into the senior GB environment

Uduje’s first senior national team experience came last summer in a series of friendlies - a long-awaited step after years in age-group teams.

“Being around the guys was incredible,” he said. “I’d watched them on TV for years.”

Facing elite opposition accelerated everything.

“Playing against teams like France and Slovenia was a huge test,” Uduje explained. “Especially France, since I’ve now gone on to play there professionally.”

That summer laid the foundation. This window delivered the milestone.

“To get a competitive cap - I’m incredibly grateful,” he said.

Perspective hasn’t always come easily.

“When you’re super ambitious, sometimes you don’t appreciate achievements,” Uduje admitted. “I used to think playing for the senior team after going through the age groups was natural progress.”

The reality, he says, is very different.

“Quinn Ellis and I are the only two players from the 2002s and 2003s on the roster right now,” he pointed out.

“That shows how hard it is.”

Grateful — but never satisfied

Uduje’s story is uplifting not because it’s finished, but because it clearly isn’t.

“Not many people are fortunate enough to be here,” he said. “So I really try to embrace it.”

At the same time, the fire that pulled him away from rugby at 15 still burns.

“The NBA is still where I want to play,” Uduje said plainly. “And I believe I’ll get another opportunity.”

For now, he’s focused on representing his country - and honouring the journey that brought him here.

From late starter to international player. From NBA 2K to NBA arenas. From dreaming wildly to living part of it.

Josh Uduje’s story shows that progress doesn’t always look the same for everyone - but that staying true to the dream can still lead you exactly where you hoped to be.