Former Scotland and Great Britain basketball captain Bill McInnes has passed away after a brief illness at the age of 71.
Edinburgh native McInnes, currently served as the chairman for the newly formed British Basketball Federation as well as being a long time chair to Basketball Scotland was highly regarded as one of the sport’s greatest players in the UK.
At the end of his illustrious playing career, McInnes won 172 international caps, including 49 for Great Britain – holding the record appearance mark for over three decades. Domestically, he played for Scottish side Boroughmuir Basketball Club, who are based in Edinburgh. He won the British title with them in 1972.
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McInnes (first on the left) was also a driving force behind Great Britain’s automatic qualification for the Olympic basketball tournament at London 2012 and was present with retired player Pops Mensah-Bonsu when FIBA granted GB a spot in 2011.
A former manager at Wester Hailes Education Centre in the south-west part of Edinburgh, he was deservedly awarded the OBE in 2000 for services to the sport.
He is survived by his wife Andrea, his children and grandchildren.
