Young players and NBA legends came together for a landmark event
Abu Dhabi has welcomed some of the region’s most promising young basketball players as the NBA and Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) hosted the first-ever NBA Academy Select Showcase at NYU Abu Dhabi.
Held from September 23 to 26, the four-day showcase brought together 36 high-school-age prospects from 15 countries across the Middle East, Africa and South Asia, giving emerging players the chance to train, compete and be assessed by some of the biggest names in basketball.
The young athletes took part in skills development sessions and exhibition games led by an impressive coaching line-up, including five-time NBA champion Ron Harper and two-time NBA Slam Dunk champion Jason Richardson, alongside NBA assistant coaches Damian Cotter, Dan Craig, Henry Domercant and James Wade.
The showcase culminated in a championship game, with the team representing the Chicago Bulls beating the team representing the San Antonio Spurs 42-23.
DCT Abu Dhabi Chairman H.E. Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak attended the event, which forms part of the emirate’s ongoing partnership with the NBA and wider efforts to develop the next generation of basketball talent.
“The NBA Academy Select Showcase marks the next phase of our partnership with the NBA and our commitment to developing future basketball talent,” said H.E. Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak.
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The event wasn’t just about what happened on court. The NBA Academy programme takes a broader approach to developing young players, combining basketball skills with physical conditioning, injury prevention, nutrition, mental performance, basketball IQ and character development.
Following the championship game, several of the standout players were recognised for their performances.
Nigeria’s Stephen Edwin was named MVP, while Côte d’Ivoire’s Nathan Djako took home the Defensive MVP award. The All-Select Showcase Team also included India’s Shekar Rathee, Bahrain’s Mahdi Baqer and Egypt’s Yahya Ammar.
Rathee also won the Three-Point Contest, while the 3v3 competition was won by Bahrain’s Jock James, Rathee and India’s Arman Arman, alongside Morocco’s Ismail Hassini.
The showcase is part of a wider grassroots basketball development programme from the NBA and DCT Abu Dhabi, designed to give young players a clearer pathway from beginner level through to elite competition.
For Abu Dhabi, it also adds another international sporting event to the capital’s growing calendar while helping establish the emirate as a hub for basketball development across the region.
