FORMER NATIONAL BASKETBALLER Nigel Lloyd is expected to be welcomed with open arms when he returns to the city where he became a British Basketball League (BBL) icon.

The league website announced recently that the 45-year-old former national team stalwart was named head coach of the Birmingham Panthers for their 2007-2008 campaign.

It will be a fresh start for both head coach and team.

Lloyd elevated to legend status during his tenure with the Birmingham Bullets from 1994-2000, when he was an All-Star in each of his seasons with the club. The Bullets however folded last year, and the new Panthers franchise was added to the league as part of its expansion for next season.

Lloyd was player-coach of the Milton Keynes Lions from 2000 to last season, but was relieved of his duties after a disappointing season for the club in which they failed to reach the playoffs.

This came just a few days after he was replaced as Barbados senior men's team coach, a position he held for four years. He was at the helm when Barbados had finished a creditable fifth place at the Commonwealth Games championships in Melbourne, Australia, that year, and runners-up to Cuba at the Caribbean Championships in 2004.

"I was honoured to be approached by the Panthers organisation to coach the team. I hold many fond memories of the people of Birmingham and I am looking forward to beginning the process of re-establishing Birmingham at the forefront of British basketballâ" said Lloyd, who helped the city's former franchise to BBL championships titles in 1995-1996 and 1997-1998.

He will be assisted by BBL veterans Clive Allen and Paul Douglas. (KC)