LONDON (EuroBasket 2007) - Former Sheffield Sharks boss Chris Finch has been appointed coach of the new Great Britain national team.
Finch, 36, who is currently at the helm of Euphony Bree in Belgium, will coach the British team in EuroBasket Division B games later this year in a bid to win promotion to Division A.
Britain would then have a chance to qualify for the 2009 EuroBasket finals in Poland.
Great Britain have also appointed Mark Clark as the women's national team coach.
One aim for the British men's and women's teams is to prove to FIBA, basketball's world governing body, that they will be competitive enough to merit places in the 2012 London Olympics normally reserved for host countries.
As for Finch, Britain will have been attracted by his coaching success in Britain and Europe.
He was voted Coach of the Year after leading the Sharks to the British title in the 1998-99 campaign.
Finch steered Bree to the Belgian title last year, which allowed the club to take part in the ULEB Cup this season for the first time.
Finch and Bree reached the eighth-finals and are currently in the Belgian play-off semi-finals, looking to capture a second straight championship.
Britain, who have taken up England's place in EuroBasket Division B, take on Albania, Slovakia, the Netherlands and Belarus this year.
Finch would like to receive commitments from DKV Joventut duo Andy Betts and Robert Archibald, along with a host of other players.
African-born, British-raised Luol Deng of the Chicago Bulls has also declared his interest in playing this summer.
He told PA Sport: "I want to do something with the national team and you won't hear any objections from me about playing, unless I'm in my season.
"I'm totally committed. I'm just so excited and so anxious to play.
"Whenever they want to get together to talk about it again I'm open to whatever date."
He added: "Whatever's going on (with his passport issue), I just hope it gets sorted out for the best and I'm able to participate in the European games later this year."
By Jeff Taylor, PA Sport