Basketball brothers Jordan and Patrick Whelan love their sport but each time they hit the court they are playing for something more.
The pair will soon be competing on opposite teams when Manchester Giants take on Leicester Riders in the final of the BBL (British Basketball League) Cup, but it’s a tragedy when they were both children that is, and always will be, on their minds ahead of the showpiece event.
Both Jordan and Patrick had an older brother, Daniel, who tragically passed away when Patrick was around 11 and Jordan was 14.
With the two brothers soon to be approaching a milestone occasion in their lives with the BBL Cup final - understandably a huge moment for their family - Daniel’s memory will always be with them.
“He was 18 and he was on a rugby trip, came back and then went to Spain with some of his friends and, at some point along the way, he contracted meningitis,” Patrick explains.
“They didn’t diagnose it quickly enough and eventually it just caught up and they rushed him to the hospital probably a little too late.
“As a family, our parents were really supportive around that time. Family, friends and the whole community were very supportive and that really helped us.”
Jordan echoes that sentiment, highlighting how the pair's basketball journey was influenced by what happened to Daniel.
“As far as basketball, I think me and Pat always play for him in a way,” he adds.
“At that point, when it happened, our vision of basketball and our dreams picked up where his dreams were and what he wanted to do when he was playing basketball.
“It gave us that extra motivation to push ourselves to get better and to be more disciplined.
“It definitely helped in that way for us.”
“I was always looking up to him and always trying to replicate what he did as a basketball player”
The bond between Patrick and Jordan is clear, even if they will soon be on opposing teams come cup final day.
For the community of Culcheth, just outside Manchester where the boys grew up, everyone knew them for playing basketball.
While their careers have taken them on their own journeys the brothers have almost come full circle with Patrick now making a real impression for the Leicester Riders while Jordan continues to be impactful for the Manchester Giants in the BBL.
“For me growing up, someone I really looked up to was Jordan,” Patrick says.
“I saw him go overseas, doing all this cool stuff that I really wanted to do and it gave me a little blueprint to follow.
“It was someone to look up to, to figure out how to play basketball the right way and to see the work you really need to put in.
“They actually nicknamed me at one camp ‘baby J!’ For the whole camp I was being called ‘Baby J’.
“Imagine how frustrating that is as a younger brother!
“I was always looking up to him and always trying to replicate what he did as a basketball player.”
The BBL Cup final takes place at the Utilita Arena, in Birmingham, on Sunday, January 30 and remarkably it will be the first time Patrick or Jordan have faced each other in a game.
But with the occasion getting ever nearer both brothers will undoubtedly be excited by how it will play out.
“The date’s creeping closer so it’s more at the forefront of my mind now and my team’s mind,” says Jordan.
“We’re starting to prepare for the day.
“As far as playing against my brother, this is actually the first time we’ve gone up against each other in terms of an official basketball game with referees to add.
“There were no referees when we were on the driveway, it was just one on one!
“We know little things about each other and we’ll enjoy challenging each other on the court and in the atmosphere.
“As much as that we’re proud to represent our fans on such a big stage and that’s the most important part.”
But of course, as important as it is for the teams, it’s going to be a massive day for the Whelan family watching the duo take to the court.
“Especially coming from a basketballing family and you have your parents drive you from practice almost every day as a kid,” Patrick adds.
“In our case they were driving us in rush hour to Manchester and back from Manchester - spending hours in the car on away trips.
“It’s cool for them I think to sit back and actually get to enjoy a game that’s at the highest level and they can see where their work has paid off as well as ours.
“They’re definitely proud and it’s probably a good sense of validation of how they raised us and how it all turned out.”
‘We can be seen as a positive influence’
While the BBL Cup will be an important day in itself it highlights the growth that the BBL is undergoing itself.
Recently the holiday period was particularly rewarding as Miami-based alternative investment firm 777 partners invested £7million in return for a 45% stake in the league.
Couple that with Sky Sports’ coverage and the future looks bright for the league.
“If I was a kid and I came across a basketball game I was always going to watch it,” Patrick explains.
“I would say the expanding reach, definitely through social media, has been key in helping the BBL grow.
“Honestly there’s great basketball being played here now, the league is always expanding and increasing its reach.
“The level of players are getting better and you look at London Lions who are playing in Europe now.
“It’s really important that the media get behind the sport and help further British basketball.”
Jordan adds: “I think it is the most important thing, what Sky Sports are doing in covering the BBL, in attracting potential new investment that the BBL has just had.
“We live in a generation right now where kids are picking up iPads and they’re on social media at young ages so we can be seen as a positive influence there, rather than them watching things they maybe shouldn’t be on.
“Maybe they can tune into a sport other than football - that’s on there all the time - but it could give kids another avenue they can follow.”
Patrick continues: “I would say another key factor in pushing the sport onto more people, especially kids, is just increasing the accessibility of basketball in these communities.
“Obviously you’d like to see funding increase, and there’s debates around that kind of stuff, but the key for me is, if there’s a hoop and a basketball, you can play the sport.
“Driving the communities to increase the number of kids that actually get a basketball in their hands - that’ll definitely take care of itself over the next few years.
“Seeing those opportunities to play the sport increase from a young age would, for me, be a driving factor.”
- Tickets for the British Basketball League (BBL) Cup finals are available to purchase via both bbl.org.uk and theticketfactory.com
