Known for being the largest Jr. NBA competition outside North America, over 10,000 participants across 24 leagues and involving 720 schools compete in the English offering each season, giving 11-13-year-old boys and girls (Year 7 and Year 8) the opportunity to play basketball and enjoy learning the skills of the game, such as teamwork, respect, determination and community.
Schools are ‘drafted’ to participate as one of the 30 NBA teams each year – receiving the kit of their team to play in. They are then split into six localised divisions across East and West Conferences - just like the NBA.
Each school plays eight regular season games in four triangular fixtures against the schools in their division; usually, other schools nearby.
At the end of the regular season, the top eight schools in each conference proceed to the playoffs for two knockout rounds, with the final four schools in each league playing in one of 10 regional Jr. NBA Finals to be crowned league Champions and take-home the coveted Championship Rings.
This year’s Finals were as exciting as ever, with teams all vying for the top spot in their region.
“The Jr. NBA makes what can seem like a far-fetched dream into a reality,” said Chloe Burdett, BE’s Participation Project Officer, who has been working on the Jr. NBA programme for the past three years.
“The programme harnesses the power and significance of the NBA brand and its collective franchises and really provides the schools and players with something unique to buy into, celebrate and enjoy.
“You can see first-hand the excitement and the joy on the participants faces when they walk through the door at the Finals events and they see all the medals, Championship Rings, the live DJ, announcer, branding and competitions – their own slice of an NBA game-day experience.
“It brings young people together, and teachers can connect and see what other schools are doing [for basketball]. It’s just a lovely initiative and something I love being a part of.”
Well-known sports announcer and broadcaster Tahir Hajat – and his band of DJs, such as DJ W8 and DJ Cadz – works with BE to enhance the Jr. NBA Finals experience for the young people, hyping them up over the microphone so they can understand the gravity of their achievement and help them get excited as they compete for medals.
He says the competition is an ‘inspiration point’ for young people.
“It's a very important piece for participation basketball in this country,” said Hajat, who has worked with some of the worlds’ biggest sports brands and organisations.
“Not every region is blessed with a network of individuals who are able to organise a school's competition. So, it facilitates that and engages young people with a brand that they're very familiar with, the NBA, and then from there, we can then educate them about British basketball.
“It's also an opportunity for local, and National League clubs, to identify talent as well, and give them the opportunity to then find their next stars moving forward.
“Hopefully, more schools will get involved and it will continue to grow, including supporting more girls’ basketball.”
In fact, just this season, the NBA has introduced Jr. WNBA and Jr. 3v3 programmes, setting out its intention to give more opportunities for girls to play basketball (currently girls and boys play in the same Jr. NBA leagues in co-ed teams), as well as for participants to play the short-sided version of the game.
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At this year’s Yorkshire Jr. NBA Finals, held in York, City of Leeds Academy’s Female Development Officer Katie Lamond led her LA Clippers (Ruth Gorse Academy in Leeds) to the Championship Rings by beating the Boston Celtics (Hall Cross Academy in Doncaster).
She believes the competition gives her players a good balance of introducing them to the game and developing their skills.
“It's good for them to see that they can play for their school, but also see that basketball can take them further, especially because [the Finals] are all over the country and they can see it across social media; they can see how big it is. It might give them a new dream or a new thing to look forward to.”
Carly Granger, mum to Jr. NBA Championship Ring winning son Dante, came down to support her son and believes the programme has been enhancing his basketball journey.
“He currently plays for a local basketball team in the Jnr. NBL and this competition has given him the opportunity to lead and show his skills and share those with the team as well.
“There's a lot of kids that have never played before, all at different levels, and for the more experienced players like Dante, it was an opportunity for them to share their love of basketball and bring the team up together and it's resulted in a gold medal.”
Former Philadelphia 76ers Voise Winters, who is the head coach at Ashville College in Harrogate, has been taking teams to the competition since 2018 and says it’s fantastic for the kids to represent NBA teams.
“I think that it gives the kids the hype of wanting to come out and play and enjoy the game.
"I'm hoping that it will push basketball in the UK. I understand the system, and I know how important it is for kids to be able to do a sport that they enjoy and I think the Jr. NBA and Basketball England have done a fantastic job.”
