Rising Stars Basketball Championship Kicks Off In July

Organisers of the Rising Stars Basketball Championship, the Olumide Oyedeji Youth Foundation has set July for the fourth edition of the tournament.

The championship will promote grassroots basketball in Nigeria by identifying young talent early and offering a platform for skill development and exposure.

According to the founder and former NBA player Olumide Oyedeji, the 2025 edition will target under-17 players nationwide.

He revealed that the championship aims not only to improve players’ technical abilities but also to instill discipline, teamwork, and leadership through structured training and mentorship.

He said, “This year’s edition will bring together some of the best young prospects from all regions of Nigeria. We are committed to using basketball to empower youth, promote education, and build future leaders on and off the court.”

Reeling out the impacts of the past editions, Olumide revealed that the Most Valuable Player of the last edition, Ikenna Alozie at Dream City Christian, Arizona, is currently the number one High School player and 5-star High School player in the United States of America.

Another beneficiary of the championship is Sulaimon Azeez, a junior national team member for Nigeria who currently plays in France.”

He added, “With over 15 beneficiaries playing outside Nigeria, we have Samson Masebinu, who was part of the National Basketball Association (NBA) Academy. He is also part of the Petro Luanda of Angola’s team competing at the 2025 Basketball Africa League.

The first edition was held in Akure while the second and third editions were held in Lagos. Lagos won first edition for boy while Ogun State claimed the U-13 boys’ title. Oyo State emerged champions in the U-13 girls’ category. In the girls’ U-17 category, Lagos emerged as champions.