Roderick Wellington
Encyclopedia
Roderick Wellington is a British
professional basketball
player, and currently plays for the Leicester Riders
in the British Basketball League
.
The 6 ft 5in tall Forward was educated at Marjon College
, based in Plymouth
and it was here where he started his professional basketball career with the Plymouth Raiders
in 2000, then a National Basketball League
team, having previously played for lower league club Sutton Pumas.
After enjoying two very successful years with the Raiders, Roderick made the jump to the top-level British Basketball League with fellow team mate Dean Williams
, both of whom joined the Thames Valley Tigers
in 2004, the same year that the Raiders also made the jump to the BBL. After one season with the Tigers, the club folded and through the efforts of local fans a new club was set up to replace them, the Guildford Heat, of which Rod was a part of the first roster of the new club.
At the beginning of the 2006-07 season
, after failing to sort out a contract with the Heat, Wellington signed for English Basketball League
(second-tier) team Worthing Thunder
where he played for two months, before re-signing with the Heat in November 2006.
Wellington enjoyed an immensely successful second season with the Heat, helping the team on the road to BBL Cup
victory and the BBL League Championship. Ensuring he would 'go out at the top', Rod made the "long and difficult" decision to retire during the summer of 2007, only to revert his choice several months later to sign a contract with BBL veterans Leicester Riders
.
Roderick is now retired from Basketball and lives back in the South of England.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player, and currently plays for the Leicester Riders
Leicester Riders
The Leicester Riders, officially known as the Jelson Homes DMU Leicester Riders for sponsorship reasons, is a British professional basketball team that play in the British Basketball League...
in the British Basketball League
British Basketball League
The British Basketball League, often abbreviated to the BBL, is the premier men's professional basketball league in the United Kingdom. The BBL runs two knockout competitions alongside the league championship; the BBL Cup and the BBL Trophy....
.
The 6 ft 5in tall Forward was educated at Marjon College
College of St Mark & St John
The University College Plymouth St Mark & St John, commonly referred to as Marjon, is a higher education campus based university college on the edge of Plymouth, England.- History :...
, based in Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
and it was here where he started his professional basketball career with the Plymouth Raiders
Plymouth Raiders
The Plymouth Raiders, officially called UCP Marjon Plymouth Raiders for sponsorship reasons, is South-west England's leading basketball team. Based in the city of Plymouth, they play their home games at the Pavilions arena and have competed in the top-tier British Basketball League since 2004...
in 2000, then a National Basketball League
National Basketball League (United Kingdom)
The National Basketball League, or NBL for short, is a British basketball league. The league started in 1972 and continued through to 2003 renamed the English Basketball League.-1972-1993:...
team, having previously played for lower league club Sutton Pumas.
After enjoying two very successful years with the Raiders, Roderick made the jump to the top-level British Basketball League with fellow team mate Dean Williams
Dean Williams (basketball)
Dean Williams is a British professional basketball player, and currently plays for the Guildford Heat in the British Basketball League....
, both of whom joined the Thames Valley Tigers
Thames Valley Tigers
Thames Valley Tigers was a British basketball team competing in the British Basketball League until 2005, when funding was ceased and the franchise folded. Based in Bracknell, Berkshire, the team's fans setup a new team to replace the Tigers and just a month later the Guildford Heat was born...
in 2004, the same year that the Raiders also made the jump to the BBL. After one season with the Tigers, the club folded and through the efforts of local fans a new club was set up to replace them, the Guildford Heat, of which Rod was a part of the first roster of the new club.
At the beginning of the 2006-07 season
British Basketball League 2006-07
The 2006-07 season, the 20th since its establishment of the British Basketball League, started on September 29, 2006 when reigning champions Newcastle Eagles began with a 85-83 loss away to Sheffield Sharks....
, after failing to sort out a contract with the Heat, Wellington signed for English Basketball League
English Basketball League
The English Basketball League is a semi-professional and amateur basketball league in England. It forms the second-tier of competition below the professional British Basketball League....
(second-tier) team Worthing Thunder
Worthing Thunder
Worthing Thunder is a basketball team from Worthing, England. Founded in 1999, until recently they competed in the top-tier British Basketball League, having previously having dominated the lower leagues in recent years, winning back-to-back English Basketball League Division One titles in 2006 and...
where he played for two months, before re-signing with the Heat in November 2006.
Wellington enjoyed an immensely successful second season with the Heat, helping the team on the road to BBL Cup
BBL Cup
The BBL Cup is one of two peripheral competitions operated by the British Basketball League during the regular season, the other being the BBL Trophy...
victory and the BBL League Championship. Ensuring he would 'go out at the top', Rod made the "long and difficult" decision to retire during the summer of 2007, only to revert his choice several months later to sign a contract with BBL veterans Leicester Riders
Leicester Riders
The Leicester Riders, officially known as the Jelson Homes DMU Leicester Riders for sponsorship reasons, is a British professional basketball team that play in the British Basketball League...
.
Roderick is now retired from Basketball and lives back in the South of England.
Professional career
- 2007-08 Leicester RidersLeicester RidersThe Leicester Riders, officially known as the Jelson Homes DMU Leicester Riders for sponsorship reasons, is a British professional basketball team that play in the British Basketball League...
- 2006-07 Guildford HeatGuildford HeatGuildford Heat is a basketball club based in Guildford, England that currently play in the British Basketball League. Heat play their home games at the brand-new Surrey Sports Park and was formed in 2005 by fans of former BBL franchise Thames Valley Tigers, who folded during the same year...
- 2006 Worthing ThunderWorthing ThunderWorthing Thunder is a basketball team from Worthing, England. Founded in 1999, until recently they competed in the top-tier British Basketball League, having previously having dominated the lower leagues in recent years, winning back-to-back English Basketball League Division One titles in 2006 and...
- 2005-06 Guildford HeatGuildford HeatGuildford Heat is a basketball club based in Guildford, England that currently play in the British Basketball League. Heat play their home games at the brand-new Surrey Sports Park and was formed in 2005 by fans of former BBL franchise Thames Valley Tigers, who folded during the same year...
- 2004-05 Thames Valley TigersThames Valley TigersThames Valley Tigers was a British basketball team competing in the British Basketball League until 2005, when funding was ceased and the franchise folded. Based in Bracknell, Berkshire, the team's fans setup a new team to replace the Tigers and just a month later the Guildford Heat was born...
- 2000-04 Plymouth RaidersPlymouth RaidersThe Plymouth Raiders, officially called UCP Marjon Plymouth Raiders for sponsorship reasons, is South-west England's leading basketball team. Based in the city of Plymouth, they play their home games at the Pavilions arena and have competed in the top-tier British Basketball League since 2004...
- 1999-00 Sutton Pumas