GB basketball player Joel Freeland admits the absence of NBA star Luol Deng from the European Championships is a blow to the team.

Freeland, from Farnham in Surrey, was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers in the 2006 NBA Draft and has just joined leading Spanish side Unicaja Malaga.

Great Britain play a four-team tournament at London's O2 Arena this weekend as a warm-up for September's European Championships.