Michael Bree has been appointed Basketball Ireland’s Head of Player Pathway Coaching and Content with the Irish U14, U15 and U17 Academies. Bree, who took over as Ireland senior men’s head coach in September, has an extensive track record in player development, through his role as Programme Director at RIG Mark Basketball, which he has held since 2014, developing elite level international players for Sweden’s men’s and women’s teams.
Speaking about his appointment, Bree said: “I am really honoured to take up this position as Basketball Ireland’s Head of Player Pathway Coaching and Content, working with the Irish U14, U15 and U17 academies. I have loved my experience so far coaching the Ireland senior men’s team and this additional role is a really exciting one. There is huge potential in Irish basketball and I will be putting structures in place to aid player development and ensure that the talent we have on this island is maximised.”
The 45-year-old added: “It’s something I have been doing for over 10 years in Sweden with RIG Mark Basketball. In the last seven years we’ve produced 40 players for Sweden’s U18 and U20 teams, 18 NCAA D1 scholarship students, 24 professional players and most recently an NBA draft pick in 2024. If we can achieve similar things in Ireland it will lay important foundations and help achieve the success we want to see on the court for our Irish teams.”
Bree’s coaching CV includes two years as an assistant coach with the Danish national team. The Sligo native also spent five years as Sweden’s U16 and U18 men’s head coach and worked with Gothenburg’s Högsbo Basket. In 2010 he was an assistant coach at NBA D-League side Bakersfield Jam, helping secure a playoff spot and in the process set a franchise record at the time for wins.
As a player Bree represented Ireland at all levels and is a former captain of the Irish junior and senior men’s squads. He played NCAA D1 basketball for Davidson College and had an eight-year professional playing career in France, Germany, Spain, Poland and Sweden, between 2002 and 2010.
Matthew Hall, Basketball Ireland’s Senior Technical Officer, stated: “Michael brings a wealth of experience in every aspect of the game. He’s a proven performer in player development and I am really excited to see what he can help deliver for Basketball Ireland in this role. He will lead our coaching and content within the U14, U15 and U17 academies, including planning and designing the coaching syllabus, while also providing coach education to our existing academy coaching staff, to aid their development.”
Chair of the Elite Performance Committee, Deirdre Brennan, added: “We are thrilled to welcome Michael Bree as our new Head of Player Pathway Coaching and Content. His appointment marks a significant step forward in shaping the future of high-performance basketball in Ireland. Michael brings a wealth of experience and a deep understanding of player development, which will be instrumental in creating first class coaching resources and pathways for our players. This role is pivotal in ensuring that our players and coaches have the tools and guidance to excel at every level, and we couldn’t be more excited about the impact Michael will make.”
