New Dubai basketball league to provide regional talent with career pathway to North America

DUBAI: Basketball players in the UAE and the wider Middle East will soon benefit from a rare opportunity as Ball Above All Sports, a premier youth basketball platform in the UAE, partners with North Pole Hoops to launch the inaugural BAA NPH Showcase League in Dubai for the autumn 2025-2026 season.

BAA, whose leagues are approved by the Dubai Sports Council and the UAE Basketball Federation, provides leagues, tournaments, and coaching for players of all ages and backgrounds, while NPH is Canada’s leading scouting and exposure organisation with a track record of guiding athletes from grassroots through North American prep schools, colleges, universities, and ultimately to the NBA.

The Showcase League aligns with the UAE’s National Sports Strategy 2031, which focuses on nurturing elite talent, strengthening the country’s global presence, and preparing Olympic basketball athletes for 2030 while further developing the UAE national team.

Tariq Sbiet, CEO and founder of North Pole Hoops, said: “We are thrilled to announce Dubai as the first stop for NPH in the Middle East. This marks a historic milestone as we open a direct pathway for prospects in the region to be seen, ranked, and recruited at a level that has never existed before.

“Through NPH Scouting we will identify, evaluate, and rank talent from the BAA NPH Showcase League, and with International Prep Placement we will ensure these prospects are matched with the right North American programmes to continue their journey to the next level.”

Kicking off on Sept. 13, 2025, the league is a milestone for basketball in the region, introducing a structured pathway for local prospects to connect directly with North American programs.

The BAA NPH Showcase League in Dubai