The Jr. NBA are a global phenomenon when it comes to developing basketball's up and coming talent, creating partnerships and leagues all over the world helping to develop players at the grassroots level both on the court and off it. They are now expanding to Wales, where in partnership with Basketball Wales a school-based league will be created for boys and girls aged 11-13 with mixed sex teams.
There will also be two conferences, North and South, with 30 teams each representing one of the teams in the NBA. The top four teams in each conference will advance to the finals which will take place at Aberystwyth University. As well as that, there will also be a Jr. NBA Draft that will take place on November 23rd.
🏴 Announcing the first @jrnba @BasketballWales League!
— NBA UK (@NBAUK) August 26, 2021
🏀 The school-based league for boys & girls aged 11-13 will tip-off with a Jr. NBA Draft event on Nov 23rd in Aberystwyth
🙌 The Jr. NBA Basketball Wales League will be available for 32 local schools! pic.twitter.com/sDbNUNFOmB
One student will get the chance to participate in the NBA Selection Camp which takes place once a year in Valencia. From there, they may get an opportunity to make it to a Junior NBA Game which takes place in Orlando.
Former Olympian and director for women and girls basketball in Wales Stef Collins spoke on the partnership. Collins is now a GB Basketball Assistant Coach as well as the head coach of WBBL team, Cardiff Met Archers.
Basketball Wales' Women and Girls Basketball director Stef Collins has praised a new partnership with the Junior National Basketball Association 🏀 pic.twitter.com/P6ARvEG4Ae
— BBC Sport Wales (@BBCSportWales) August 26, 2021