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8 July 2026  6 min read

The team behind the team: Honor Campbell’s rapid rise in British basketball

But behind every smooth-running camp, every seamless trip abroad, and every environment where athletes can focus solely on performance, there is usually someone quietly making sure everything is organised and prepared in the background.

For Honor Campbell, that role has become both a profession and a passion.

Coming from Glasgow, and at just 25, she is currently already the Team Manager for the Great Britain Women's team, working alongside head coach Krumesh Patel.

She also works as Player Experience Officer at basketballscotland, and now in 2026 is taking on another significant responsibility: serving as Team Manager for the Scottish 3x3 teams at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in her hometown of Glasgow.

It’s an impressive résumé by any standard. But for Campbell, the journey into elite basketball didn’t begin with a carefully mapped-out career plan.

It started, quite simply, with being tall in school.

“I started playing when I was 10 years old,” she said. “We had a PE teacher who was a coach for a local basketball team and as I was really tall from a young age, I was encouraged into the game.”

Like many young players, what kept her coming back wasn’t just the sport itself, but the environment around it.

'I felt I belonged'

“The team element and energy of the sport really attracted me. I enjoy being part of a group and having an interest and friendships out with school was important for me. In basketball, I felt I belonged, and that is important as you are growing up.”

Campbell continued playing through high school and later at the University of Stirling, where she studied Psychology and Sports Studies and took on the role as President for the basketball club. But while she loved basketball, she never imagined a professional playing career.

What she did know was that she wanted to remain part of the sport.

“I didn’t know what I wanted to do after university,” she said. “But the opportunity came up to work with the Caledonia Gladiators as team manager and so I jumped at it and haven’t looked back since.”

It was the first step into a side of sport many fans - and even players - rarely see.

“When I was at university, I didn’t even know the role of team manager existed in basketball,” she explains. “Our national league team didn’t have one, our coach just did it all.”

In professional environments, however, the role is crucial.

“As a team manager, no two days are the same,” Campbell said. “In GB camp, most of the work is probably done before we even get into camp - arranging accommodation, flights, connecting with players and staff, making sure they all have what they need.”

“When you’re actually in camp it’s about managing the schedule and ensuring everything flows as it should, that everybody has what they need to perform or do their jobs to the best of their ability.”

It’s a job built on organisation, anticipation, and trust - often solving problems before anyone else even realises they exist.

“In a Team Manager role, you’re often the magic fairy behind the scenes that thinks of things and resolves them even before a player or staff member notices,” she says with a smile.

Her pathway into international basketball came earlier than she expected. After just one year with the Gladiators - Campbell found herself stepping into the Great Britain Basketball programme at junior level.

At first, she nearly didn’t apply.

“I saw the GB Youth Programme roles advertised and didn’t even think about it because I didn’t think I had enough experience.”

It took encouragement from those around her to take the leap.

“Miguel [Ortega Marco] told me these are the things you need to be putting yourself forward for. Even if you don’t get it, having these connections and having your name out there is such a big thing.”

That advice proved transformative. Campbell took the opportunity, and over three summers working in the GB junior programme she gained invaluable experience - and built a strong working relationship with Patel.

“Year one was definitely a learning curve,” she said. “But every year since, I’ve become more comfortable.”

Now, stepping into her first senior camp with the GB women’s programme, those relationships have become one of her biggest strengths.

“I’ve worked with Krumesh for three years, so I understand his vision, priorities and how he likes things organised. Knowing the staff and the expectations makes such a difference going into camp.”

While the pace of sport rarely allows much time for reflection, Campbell’s rise has been remarkable. A few years on from university, she now balances roles at club, national, and international level.

“To have gone from graduating to being in a role with the GB team, working for basketballscotland and now preparing for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow - I would never have expected things to move that quickly,” she admitted.

The Games will be particularly meaningful.

“I'm from just outside Glasgow, so to have all my family and friends there will make it extra special,” she says. “We don’t get many opportunities to compete as Scotland, so it will definitely be a great summer.”

There are so many ways to be involved in sport beyond playing

There is also a sense of full circle. Many of the athletes who could represent Scotland in the 3x3 tournament are players she already knows through the Gladiators or GB programmes.

For Campbell, those moments highlight something bigger than her own story.

“I especially want young athletes to realise the possibilities a role like this can provide,” she says. “There are so many ways to be involved in sport beyond playing - coaches, physios, team managers, strength and conditioning coaches, performance analysts.”

For those who step away from playing, those paths can keep the connection alive.

“I’m very proud of my journey and grateful for all the opportunities and experiences I’ve had. I’m very passionate about the importance of the off-court roles and the impact they have on team performance.”

For someone whose job is usually about making sure others succeed, that quiet reflection might be the most important moment of all.

And for the young players, volunteers, and future staff members watching from the sidelines, Campbell’s journey offers a powerful reminder: sometimes the biggest opportunities in sport are the ones you never knew existed - until you decide to go for them.

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