Abu Dhabi set for three-day NBA Academy Showcase

ABU DHABI: When Shai Gilgeous-Alexander capped off the 2024-2025 season by leading the Oklahoma City Thunder to the NBA championship and claiming both the regular season MVP and finals MVP awards, he became the latest alumnus of the NBA’s Basketball Without Borders program, part of the league’s global development pathway, to reach the pinnacle of the sport.

That pathway will be on display in Abu Dhabi this month with the first NBA Academy Showcase in the Middle East, hosted at New York University Abu Dhabi from Sept. 25-27. The event will bring together elite youth teams from Senegal’s NBA Academy Africa, Australia’s Centre of Excellence, France’s INSEP Academy, and the US-based IMG Academy Ascenders, who will compete in front of NCAA coaches and NBA scouts as they look to take the next step toward college or professional careers.

Neal Meyer, vice president and head of basketball operations for NBA Europe and the Middle East, told Arab News the choice of Abu Dhabi was no coincidence.

“Since 2022, our collaboration with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi has significantly accelerated the growth of basketball across the region, with Abu Dhabi emerging as a key regional hub for basketball development,” he said.

“The city’s world-class infrastructure, commitment to creating opportunities for young people to play basketball, and international outlook make it an ideal location for this first-of-its-kind elite event.”

The showcase takes place just days before the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers face off at Etihad Arena on Oct. 2 and 4 as part of the NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2025 presented by ADQ.

The games will give fans in the region a rare chance to see some of the world’s best players in person, with