London Marathon Events, in collaboration with the NBA, to host Finals tournament in iconic London venue on Thursday 9 July
Primary schools to get their first-ever Finals as programme expands in second year
Wheelchair basketball teams to compete in Secondary School Finals for first time, through funding support for London wheelchair basketball club
Popularity of 3v3 basketball boomed in London schools following the launch of the programme in 2025
Trafalgar Square will again serve as the stunning location for the Jr. NBA 3v3 Finals on Thursday 9 July.
Now in its second year, the Jr. NBA 3v3 is an exciting free basketball programme open to schools across London. It is organised by London Marathon Events (LME) in collaboration with the NBA. The programme is designed to get more children playing the sport.
The pinnacle of the programme is the Jr. NBA 3v3 Finals which features 10 teams from secondary schools across the capital. These teams have made it through qualifying rounds to earn their spot to play in the spectacular setting of Trafalgar Square.
Fans and visitors can watch the action, taking place on two of the three basketball courts, and on big screens in the central London hotspot. The third court will be reserved for Jr. NBA basketball development clinics for select primary school groups. In addition, the public are welcome to get involved through a range of fan engagement activities catering to all ages and skill levels from photo opportunities to basketball skills challenges. There will also be live music and entertainment throughout the event.
Returning this year with a new line-up will be the content creator NBA 3X basketball tournament with the mixed elite 3v3 competition. This competition features some of the UK’s most influential content creators who are embedded in basketball culture. Further details on the roster of participating creators will be announced at a later date on Facebook (NBA Europe). You can also find details later on Instagram (NBAEurope).
The programme is supported by the Mayor of London’s Office and the London Youth Games. It inspired more than 9,000 pupils to play 3v3 basketball in 2025.
After the successful first year, the programme has expanded in 2026 and will now also include a Finals tournament for primary schools on Friday 5 June. The Finals, open to children in Years 5 and 6, will take place at SportsDock, at the University of East London. This venue was the training facility for Team USA Basketball during the London 2012 Olympics.
Funding to drive participation in wheelchair basketball
New in 2026 in the secondary school competition is a wheelchair basketball pathway, which will see teams compete in the showpiece Finals. Meanwhile, wheelchair basketball clubs have recently been awarded £19,980 in funding to drive recruitment, coaching and preparation to form four under-18 wheelchair basketball teams.
Neal Meyer, NBA Vice President and Head of Basketball Operations, Europe & Middle East said: “Hosting the Jr. NBA 3v3 Finals in the iconic Trafalgar Square once again speaks to the incredible momentum around basketball across London. The growth of this programme in just its second year, from expanding to primary schools to welcoming even more wheelchair basketball teams, reflects our commitment to making the game accessible to every young person. Together with London Marathon Events, the Mayor of London and our partners across the city, we’re proud to help more children experience the joy of 3v3 basketball and to showcase the next generation of talent against the backdrop of one of the capital’s most beloved landmarks.”
Polly Irvine, Event Lead for Jr. NBA 3v3, said: “The popularity of 3v3 basketball is incredible and we believe the sky is the limit for its growth in the UK. Last year, history was made when Jr. NBA 3v3 became the first basketball tournament ever to be played at Trafalgar Square and we are seeing more people take up the sport in schools. These two venues will provide a fitting backdrop to the primary and secondary school tournaments, and I look forward to seeing the next big basketball talents on court.”
Primary and secondary school children have already begun their pathway to the Finals. They will play the 10-minute games on a smaller, one-hoop set-up in their schools. Each team will have three members (from a squad of six) on court at any one time.
Area Finals for secondary schools – the final step before the overall Finals – began this week. Hosted by the London Youth Trust, secondary schools will compete for a spot at Trafalgar Square between Monday 11 May and Friday 15 May. Primary schools will be competing the following week.
For more details on Jr. NBA 3v3 visit the event website.
