National Basketball Association (NBA) star John Amaechi visited Imperial College London’s sports centre Ethos last week as part of a promotional drive for the Global Games London. Amaechi is widely regarded as one of the best British players in NBA history.

Amaechi had attended the event as part of a promotional drive for the Global Games London game between the New York Knicks and the Milwaukee Bucks at the O2 Arena, which took place last week.

At the event, which was a grassroots event for youngsters, Amaechi shot hoops with the players. The clinic was organised as a joint venture by the NBA and Warner Bros. and was named the “Looney Tunes JR NBA Clinic”. Other distinguished guests included Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck. How good they are at basketball is open to interpretation.

Speaking at the event in Kensington Mr Amaechi said: “These are the best times of the Global Games, as you really get to involve the community. The children are able to have contact with real players, an experience which isn’t regularly repeated in many other sports, and they have been unbelievably excited.”

During his time in the NBA Amaechi played for Orlando Magic, Utah Jazz and Houston Rockets. He is credited with being “one of the world’s most high-profile gay athletes” after he came out publicly in his memoirs. At six feet ten inches tall (2.08m) Amaechi played his first game in the NBA for the Cleveland Cavaliers in 1995, and his last game in 2003.