Many of the UK’s top young basketball prospects are set to take part in the first annual Hoopsfix All-Star Classic, taking place on June 15.
15-odd years ago, Rough and Ready used to be THE summer basketball event. Held at the legendary “Rough House” in Brixton, it brought together all the guys who were playing college / high school ball in the States (Luol and Ajou Deng, Drew Sullivan, Olu Babalola, Pops Mensah-Bonsu, Germayne Forbes etc) as well as UK pros, streetball legends and up-and-comers (Yorrick Williams, Pierre Henry-Fontaine, Damion Modeste).
The summer basketball scene now is a far cry from what it was a decade ago – with very few events taking place…and the pinnacle, Rough and Ready, out of action since 2003.
But all that looks set to change with the arrival of the Hoopsfix All-Star Classic. Whilst the vibe will certainly be completely different to RnR (Brunel University certainly ain’t Brixton Rec), the aim seems to be the same – get together the very best young players possible.
Hoopsfix owner Sam Neter is really trying to pull out all the stops here. MVP understands he’s even helping to pay for some overseas-based players to get back to London for the event.
“This tournament is a celebration of the UK basketball scene,” he says. “There are a lot of extremely talented players over here, and there is a thirst for basketball that is often untapped.”
The event will see 20 of the best up and coming under-25 year olds play a 40-minute game, coached by two top UK coaching teams. It’ll also feature a junior showcase, featuring national team level under-16s.
Throw into the mix a dunk contest and community coaching session, and it’s sounding like an event you can’t afford to miss.
Limited tickets, which are expected to sell out quickly, are available online at hoopsfixallstarclassic.com, and will not be available on the door.
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