• Three-Time NBA Champion James Worthy and Seven-Time NBA All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge attended the Jr. NBA Abu Dhabi League Draft
  • Games will tip off on Monday, Feb. 5 and culminate with the third Jr. NBA Abu Dhabi League Finals on Sunday, May 5.

ABU DHABI – The National Basketball Association (NBA) and the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) today announced the launch of the expanded third season of the Jr. NBA Abu Dhabi League – operated by Sport360 –, which this year will reach more than 1,300 youth ages 11-14 from schools across Abu Dhabi, and for the first time, Al Ain. Jr. NBA programming has reached more than 10,000 youth in Abu Dhabi since 2022.

The Jr. NBA Abu Dhabi League draft event took place on Saturday, Jan. 27 at the NYU Abu Dhabi campus in the presence of  DCT Abu Dhabi Chairman, His Excellency Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, NBA Europe and Middle East Vice President of Basketball Operations, Neal Meyer, three-time NBA champion James Worthy and seven-time NBA All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge. At the event, each school was assigned an NBA team, received corresponding NBA team-branded jerseys for games, and participated in basketball development clinics, skills challenges and competitions led by Worthy and Aldridge. Jr. NBA Abu Dhabi League games will tip off on Monday, Feb. 5 and culminate with the third Jr. NBA Abu Dhabi League Finals on Sunday, May 5.

His Excellency Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of DCT Abu Dhabi, said: “Youth empowerment and community development is at the heart of DCT Abu Dhabi’s vision, in service of building a brighter and more prosperous future for the emirate. Our multiyear partnership and collaboration with NBA to bring this transformative programme to Abu Dhabi’s young talents demonstrates our commitment to developing the next generation of players in the UAE and beyond. As we expand the Jr. NBA Abu Dhabi League to Al Ain and reach even more children across the emirate, we further solidify the emirate’s position as a global hub for sporting activities and athletic programmes.”

“We’re excited to continue growing the Jr. NBA Abu Dhabi League as part of our commitment to providing youth with more opportunities to learn and play the game,” said Meyer. “We look forward to welcoming youth from Al Ain for the first time and to teaching important values like teamwork, leadership and respect that will help these aspiring players succeed on the court and in life.”

“It was inspiring to be on the court today and to see the enthusiasm and passion on display from the boys and girls participating in the Jr. NBA Abu Dhabi League,” said Worthy. “The game has given me so many incredible memories and experiences, and I wish these young players the same as they pursue their dreams.”

Worthy, a 12-year NBA veteran who retired from the league in 1995, is a three-time NBA champion, seven-time NBA All-Star, and member of the NBA’s 50th and 75th Anniversary Teams. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003.  Aldridge, a seven-time NBA All-Star, retired in 2023 after a 16-year NBA career with the Portland Trail Blazers, San Antonio Spurs and Brooklyn Nets.

The Jr. NBA Abu Dhabi League aims to teach the values of the game and encourage youth to lead an active and healthy lifestyle through participation in sports. Last season, 63,000 participants in 31 countries took part in the Jr. NBA Leagues, with Jr NBA programs collectively counting 275,000 participants in 61 countries across Europe and the Middle East.

The Jr. NBA Abu Dhabi League, which is supported by ADQ, Aldar and DCT Abu Dhabi, is part of a multiyear collaboration between the NBA and DCT Abu Dhabi that also features preseason NBA Global Games, a variety of interactive fan events featuring appearances by current and former NBA players, a series of NBA FIT clinics promoting health and wellness, and an NBA 2K League exhibition event.  The collaboration also sees DCT Abu Dhabi, under Experience Abu Dhabi – the tourism promotion initiative of the UAE’s capital – serve as the Official Tourism Destination Partner of the NBA in the Middle East, North Africa, Europe and China.

For more information on the Jr. NBA Abu Dhabi League – operated by Gulf Sports Media FZ LLC (trading as Sport360) –, download the OWQLO App and follow the Jr. NBA on Facebook, (Facebook.com/jrnba), Instagram (@jrnba and @nbaarabic) and X (@jrnba and @nbaarabic).

About the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi

The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) drives the sustainable growth of Abu Dhabi’s culture and tourism sectors and its creative industries, fuelling economic progress and helping to achieve Abu Dhabi’s wider global ambitions.

By working in partnership with the organisations that define the emirate’s position as a leading international destination, DCT Abu Dhabi strives to unite the ecosystem around a shared vision of the emirate’s potential, coordinate effort and investment, deliver innovative solutions, and use the best tools, policies and systems to support the culture and tourism.

DCT Abu Dhabi’s vision is defined by the emirate’s people, heritage and landscape. We work to enhance Abu Dhabi’s status as a place of authenticity, innovation, and unparalleled experiences, represented by its living traditions of hospitality, pioneering initiatives and creative thought.

For more information about DCT Abu Dhabi and the destination, visit tcaabudhabi.ae and visitabudhabi.ae.

About the NBA

The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a global sports and media organization with the mission to inspire and connect people everywhere through the power of basketball.  Built around five professional sports leagues:  the NBA, WNBA, NBA G League, NBA 2K League and Basketball Africa League, the NBA has established a major international presence with games and programming available in 214 countries and territories in more than 50 languages, and merchandise for sale in more than 200 countries and territories on all seven continents.  NBA rosters at the start of the 2023-24 season featured a record 125 international players from 40 countries and territories.  NBA Digital’s assets include NBA TV, NBA.com, the NBA App and NBA League Pass.  The NBA has created one of the largest social media communities in the world, with more than 2.3 billion likes and followers globally across all leagues, team and player platforms.  NBA Cares, the NBA’s global social responsibility platform, partners with renowned community-based organizations around the world to address important social issues in the areas of education, inclusion, youth and family development, and health and wellness.