• Loading stock data...
Tuesday, February 24, 2026

NBA Adds Global Youth Showcase to Las Vegas Summer Slate

  • The Jr. NBA Showcase will feature 40 elite youth basketball players from 17 countries.
  • Youth will play in U.S. vs. World team games, a format Adam Silver is also considering for the NBA All-Star Game.
The Jr. NBA Showcase will feature elite youth players from 17 countries.
Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

The NBA and WNBA have picked 40 of the best youth basketball players worldwide to compete in the inaugural Jr. NBA Showcase in Las Vegas from July 12-16.

The 40 elite boys and girls players aged 13 and 14 will hail from 17 countries—including the U.S.,  Morocco, Uruguay, Serbia, Slovenia, Australia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Japan, Mexico, Senegal, Egypt, Croatia, Indonesia, Madagascar, and Nigeria. 

NBA commissioner Adam Silver said earlier this month that the league is considering a United States vs. International format for its All-Star Game. That same format will be used at the Jr. NBA Showcase, where players will be divided into U.S. and International rosters and compete in exhibition games on July 15 at Cox Pavilion, home of UNLV and the NBA Summer League.

The four-day showcase will be hosted in conjunction with the WNBA All-Star Game happening July 15 at Las Vegas’s Michelob Ultra Arena and the Summer League held July 7-17 at the Thomas & Mack Center and Cox Pavilion. NBA Con, a ticketed fan festival celebrating basketball culture, also debuts July 7-9 at Mandalay Bay.

More than 25% of active NBA players were born outside the U.S., including the last five league MVPs — Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece, 2019-2020), Nikola Jokic (Serbia, 2021-2022), and Joel Embiid (Cameroon, 2023). Bolstering the NBA’s global appeal is Frenchman Victor Wembanyama, the generational prospect selected first-overall by the San Antonio Spurs in last week’s NBA Draft. 

Nike will sponsor the Jr. NBA Showcase, where players will participate in life skills and leadership programming, team practices, and a Skills Night presented by Gatorade that spans three-point, dunk, and skills competitions. 

The NBA App will livestream the games, which the NBA says will feature the “next generation of elite players.” In 2018, the league hosted its Jr. NBA Global Championship that included Jarace Walker, Cason Wallace, and Gradey Dick, all of whom were lottery picks in this month’s NBA Draft.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

exclusive

WNBA Team Hires Reporter From Athletic for Front Office Role

Ben Pickman will be a cap and strategy analyst for the Fire.
A'ja Wilson
exclusive

WNBA Proposes Same Salary Cap in New CBA Offer

The league did offer players slightly better terms on housing.
Sep 28, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Minnesota Lynx forward Alanna Smith (8) scores on Phoenix Mercury forward Kathryn Westbeld (24) and forward Alyssa Thomas (25) in the second half during game four of the second round for the 2025 WNBA Playoffs at PHX Arena.

Are the WNBA’s 9-Figure Losses What They Seem?

The WNBA claims the union’s proposal would cause massive losses.

Featured Today

[Subscription Customers Only] Jul 13, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Chelsea FC midfielder Cole Palmer (10) celebrates winning the final of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup at MetLife Stadium

Soccer’s ‘Crown Jewels’ Are Devouring Smaller Clubs

Mega conglomerates are feeding a big business machine. Fans are furious.
Feb 10, 2026; Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy; Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin of the United States during the curling mixed doubles gold medal game during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium
February 20, 2026

Curling Clubs Are Swept Up in Olympics Fever. Can It Last?

Every four years, organizations field an influx of curling-curious patrons.
Max Valverde by Ron Winsett
February 17, 2026

How Ski Mountaineering’s Hype Man Went From TikTok to NBC

Max Valverde’s gushing over the niche sport vaulted him to Olympic broadcaster.
Feb 11, 2026; Livigno, Italy; Jaelin Kauf of the United States during freestyle skiing women's moguls final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Livigno Aerials & Moguls Park
February 13, 2026

The Surprise Hit of the Winter Olympics: First-Person Drone Views

Tiny drone cameras have reshaped the Olympics viewing experience.
Jul 30, 2022; Irvine, CA, USA; A general view of the official NFL balls on the field during Los Angeles Rams training camp at University of California Irvine.

Saudi Arabia Wants to Bring American Football to the Middle East

The Middle Eastern nation wants to host major football events.
Noah Lyles (USA) wins the men’s 100m final during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Stade de France in Saint-Denis, France, Monday, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024.
September 22, 2025

Summer Olympics Face a Climate-Induced Heat Check

The World Athletics president says the status quo is not sustainable.
Oct 6, 2024; London, United Kingdom; British and United States flags on the field at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
September 29, 2025

From Dublin to London: Vikings on NFL’s First Multi-Country Road Trip

The Jaguars have previously played consecutive games in the U.K.
Sponsored

A Head Start on History: Early Access to Olympic Hospitality for the..

From private suites to curated experiences, On Location is redefining how fans and brands show up at LA28.
Jun 13, 2018; Moscow, Russia; A general view of a beer stand inside of Luschniki Stadium one day prior to the start of the FIFA World Cup 2018.
February 12, 2025

Saudi Arabia Says No Alcohol at 2034 World Cup

Saudi Arabia won’t allow alcohol anywhere during the 2034 World Cup.
January 13, 2025

Gavin Newsom Reveals Status of 2028 Olympics As Los Angeles Wildfires Roar

Gavin Newsom says there’s a “Marshall Plan” to rebuild Los Angeles.
Paralympics Tiktok
August 25, 2024

The Wildly Successful Paralympics TikTok Account Isn’t What You Think

A cheeky TikTok account is opening the world of Paralympic sports.
August 11, 2024

Passing of the Torch: Los Angeles Set for Olympic Firsts in 2028

The city last hosted the Summer Olympics in 1984.