Registration is now open for the 2023 Jr. NBA Skills Challenge! View the tabs below for competition information, program timelines, and to register to host a local competition.
- OVERVIEW
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
The Jr. NBA Skills Challenge provides boys and girls, ages 13 and younger, the opportunity to improve upon and showcase their fitness through five fundamental basketball skills: shooting, lay-ups, dribbling, passing, and defense. The program is free for all participants and organizations. Boys and girls compete separately in two different age groups: 11U and 13U. Participants will compete in local competitions for the opportunity to qualify for the National Finals in New York City.
To view an overview of the Jr. NBA Skills Challenge, please CLICK HERE.
- HOST REGISTRATION
We thank all our hosts who held a 2023 Jr. NBA Skills Challenge Local Competition and provided this opportunity for the boys and girls in their communities.
Interested in hosting a Local Competition for the 2024 season?
We are putting the finishing touches on the 2024 Jr. NBA Skills Challenge program. Once the details are finalized, the Jr. NBA website will be updated along with information being sent out via email on the Jr. NBA newsletter. To make sure you receive the Jr. NBA email notifications when the program launches and newsletters on any and all upcoming special events, programs, grants, and more from the Jr. NBA, please make sure you are registered (for free) at https://jr.nba.com/register-today/.
To see Frequently Asked Questions for Local Competition Hosts, please CLICK HERE.
To see the Jr. NBA Skills Competition Official Rules, please CLICK HERE.
Please note that Local Competitions can only be held within the United States.
- PLAYER REGISTRATION
The 2023 Jr. NBA Skills Challenge program is now closed for player registrations.
Interested in participating in the 2024 season?
We are putting the finishing touches on the 2024 Jr. NBA Skills Challenge program. Once the details are finalized, the Jr. NBA website will be updated. If you haven’t done so already, you can also register your child/family for a Jr. NBA family membership at https://jr.nba.com/register-today/ (It’s Free!). We will pass along information to you via email when special events are available in your area and when the 2024 Jr. NBA Skills Challenge program is launched.
- COMPETITION SKILLS
Participants will compete in each of the five standardized skills to earn a total cumulative time resulting in a final score:
- Dribbling – Challenges participants in stationary, zig-zag, and speed dribbling.
- Shooting – Challenges participants to make jump shots from the elbow.
- Lay-Up – Challenges participants to make lay-up shots.
- Passing – Challenge participants to accurately pass towards a wall target and receive a pass.
- Defense and Bonus Free Throw – Challenges participants in defensive lane slides, sprinting, and free throw shooting.
- TIMELINE
Local Competition: January 2023 – April 2023
- Each host may conduct as many Local Competitions as they would like during the Local Competition timeframe. Local winners do NOT automatically advance to the National Finals. Local winners will be contacted by the Jr. NBA as to their possible advancement to the National Finals.
- Local Competition hosts may choose for their event to be public or private. If public, then the event and player registration details will be found on the Jr. NBA Skills Challenge website under the Player Registration tab. If private, only community members directly invited by the Local Host will have access to event and player registration details.
National Finals: June 2023
- The top scorers from the Local Competitions will be ranked and invited to compete at the National Finals during the 2023 NBA Draft presented by State Farm in June 2023.
- CONTACT
Please visit the FAQs for additional assistance.
The staff of the Jr. NBA Skills Challenge is happy to answer questions regarding the program. Please email JrNBA@nba.com and a representative will be available to assist.
- PLAYER REGISTRATION