Yabsley keeps his sights set on playing at the top

MARTIN YABSLEY is still firmly fixed on reaching the top of his profession - the NBA. The 6ft 9in. Guernsey star's future is looking promising with the prospect of playing for the British champions, Sheffield, next season after a frustrating spell with the Birmingham Bullets and now he is set to continue his progression up the basketball ladder.

Yabsley actually left Birmingham just before Christmas but for legal reasons, he could not discuss the matter until his contract finished at the end of the British Basketball League season.

Now able to break his silence, he revealed that some of his salary was not paid to him and there was no stability at the club.

'The first month was okay; we all got paid what we were owed. But in the second month, half of my money wasn't in the bank and it was the same for the other English players. I went straight to the general manager about it and stayed for a few more games but I was not prepared to go on like that.

Although it was a difficult period for Yabsley at the Bullets - an episode he called 'a blow to my career' - he emphasised that he still learnt from his time there and met a lot of good players, which helped him to develop his own game.

Since ending his association with the Bullets, Yabsley has been back in the island combining some hard training with relaxation.

He was also pleased to have some quality time with his friends and family, including his first Christmas at home for six years.

Yabsley has helped Collins Stewart onto the verge of a second successive Guernsey title since he has been back - they meet big rivals La Fraternelle Rovers on Friday - and he should be set to fulfil an ambition as he has never before played in a senior inter-insular. That should change in May.

But, of course, his long-term aims lie away from Guernsey.

'I still want to play in the NBA by the time I am 27. That gives me three or four years to achieve it.'

Yabsley is still only 22 and has lined up a two-year contract with the current BBL champions Westfield Sharks Sheffield. He also has trips to Spain and the United States planned in the coming months as he looks to continue his basketball education.

He would have liked to have explored other avenues sooner but his former club thwarted any moves before the end of the season by slapping what amounted to a transfer fee on the player.

'I got a new agent when I left but Birmingham blocked me moving because they were quite bitter about me leaving. I had an influx of calls but because of my restrictions, unless clubs were prepared to pay this fee on top of my wages, I couldn't go anywhere.

'But Sheffield is a really good franchise with an English coach in Peter Scantlebury, who is an ex-England player.'

Scantlebury, whom Yabsley described as a coach he can trust, has outlined to the Sarnian his realistic expectations for next season and as long as he works hard on his strength and his game, he has the potential to get a lot of court time.

However long his stint in Sheffield lasts, the former Grammar School student wants to go into Europe after it, something he called the next step onto the ladder to the NBA.

Even before he joins Sheffield in mid-August, Yabsley is to spend some time with Spanish league club Tenerife as part of his learning experience.

'I am not going out there looking for a contract, I am not even ready for Tenerife at this stage, but I will go out there just to put my name about and hopefully get myself noticed.

'I have also got the opportunity to go out to California this summer and spend some time in the USBL, which is basically the summer NBA.

'That is through my old coach from London whom I have been keeping in close contact with and he has invited me to go out there and do some training with them at my leisure.

'I played all my college basketball with Penn State on the East Coast and just to get a taste of West Coast basketball will be good for me.'

In the meantime, Yabsley is looking to help out Guernsey's next generation of basketball stars.

'I have been doing a bit of coaching in schools and some work up at the youth service with Paul van Beek. For the summer I am maybe looking to run a few camps and also some individual coaching. One of my great passions is coaching kids.'

With Yabsley's desire to reach the top still burning brightly, those looking for coaching would be best advised to take him up on that offer sooner rather than later.