Basketball Without Borders Announces Global Prospects For BWB All-Star 2026
The National Basketball Association (NBA) and the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) have announced 40 of the top high-school-age prospects from 29 countries and territories who will travel to Los Angeles for the 19th annual Basketball Without Borders (BWB) All-Star camp, which will be held Friday, Feb. 13 – Sunday, Feb. 15 at the UCLA Health Training Center as part of NBA All-Star 2026.
Basketball Without Borders Unveils ‘BWB Next Up’ Development Pathway
The NBA and FIBA also announced a reimagined format for the BWB program with the launch of “BWB Next Up” – two annual camps for the top 80 male prospects and top 80 female prospects from outside the U.S. that will replace regional BWB camps and from which the top-performing players will be selected to participate in BWB All-Star camps at the following NBA and AT&T WNBA All-Star. The dates and locations of this year’s BWB Next Up camps will be announced in the coming months.
“Basketball Without Borders has been a cornerstone of our global development efforts for 25 years, and this reimagined format will build upon the legacy of the program and enhance its impact on the next generation of international players,” said NBA Associate Vice President, Head of Elite Basketball Brendan McKillop.
“By bringing together the top male and female players from around the world at two ‘Next Up’ camps each year, we will strengthen the competitive experience and create a clearer pathway for the top-performing players to participate in our signature BWB All-Star camps at NBA and WNBA All-Star.”
FIBA Highlights Global Vision Of Programme
“As we transition to a truly global Basketball Without Borders format, we are excited to bring together young international players from every corner of the world to learn, grow and inspire one another,” said Kimberley Gaucher, FIBA Head of Players Unit.
“By uniting diverse styles of play and training philosophies, we will create a more powerful learning environment that will further accelerate development and broaden perspectives for all involved. This global exchange will also help strengthen our shared commitment to growing basketball worldwide.”
Basketball Without Borders Camp To Feature Elite Training And Competition
BWB All-Star 2026, which will be open to NBA team personnel, will bring together prospects from Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceania to participate in athletic testing, movement efficiency, skill development stations, 3-on-3 competitions, life-skills seminars, and 5-on-5 games under the guidance of current and former NBA and FIBA players, legends and coaches, including Danilo Gallinari (Italy) and James Gist.
Former NBA And WNBA Players Named As BWB All-Star 2026 Coaches
Several members of the NBA Coaching Development Program (CDP), which assists former players who are looking to transition into the coaching ranks and further deepens the pipeline of coaching talent across leagues, will also serve as BWB All-Star 2026 coaches, including former NBA players Scotty Hopson, Khalid El-Amin and Craig Smith, and former WNBA player Meighan Simmons.
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Patrick Hunt (President of the World Association of Basketball Coaches; Australia), Chris Ebersole (Los Angeles Lakers Director of Player Development and Experience) and Luca Desta (longtime NBA front office executive; Ethiopia) will serve as the camp directors.
Awards And NBA All-Star Game Experience
A ceremony on the final day of the camp will award the Kim Bohuny Camp MVP, the Patrick Baumann Sportsmanship Award, the Three-Point Champion, the Defensive MVP and the Playoff MVP to the campers who distinguish themselves on the court and as leaders. The campers will attend the 75th NBA All-Star Game at the Intuit Dome later that day.
Basketball Without Borders Alumni Continue To Shape The NBA
Of the record 135 international players on opening-night rosters this season, there were more than 50 former BWB campers, including 2026 NBA All-Stars Deni Avdija (Portland Trail Blazers; Israel; BWB Europe 2018; BWB All-Star 2019), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder; Canada; BWB All-Star 2016), Jamal Murray (Denver Nuggets; Canada; BWB All-Star 2015) and Pascal Siakam (Indiana Pacers; Cameroon; BWB Africa 2012).
BWB Backed By Nike And Gatorade
BWB All-Star 2026 will be supported by Nike, a global partner of BWB since 2002, which will outfit participants with Nike apparel and footwear, and Gatorade, which will keep players and coaches hydrated throughout the camp.
Basketball Without Borders Impact On Global Basketball Development
BWB, the NBA and FIBA’s global basketball development and community outreach program, has reached more than 4,900 participants from 149 countries and territories since 2001, with 143 former campers advancing to the NBA or WNBA. The NBA and FIBA have staged 84 BWB camps in 56 cities across 36 countries on six continents.
List of players participating in the 10th annual BWB All-Star camp (rosters subject to change):
• Jai Fa’ale (Australia)
• Guer Bar (Australia)
• Harry Cook (Australia)
• Isaiah Santos (Brazil)
• Franck Belibi (Cameroon)
• Paul Osaruyi (Canada)
• Stefan Ilic (Canada)
• Lyris Robinson (Canada)
• Ramsey Sato (Central African Republic)
• Yixuan Yang (China)
• Yu Lyu (China)
• Anderson Diaz (Dominican Republic)
• Marlon Martinez (Dominican Republic)
• Cameron Houindo (France)
• Matthys Mahop (France)
• Swann Penda (France)
• Joel Lindsay (Germany)
• Jamie Edoka (Germany)
• Cheickh Niang (Italy – ties to Senegal)
• Caleb Ourigou (Ivory Coast)
• Kenichiro Benedict (Japan)
• Ricards Aizpurs (Latvia)
• Ignas Stombergas (Lithuania)
• Adrien Porras (Mexico)
• Maksim Brnovic (Montenegro)
• Noah Mohamed El Baze (Morocco)
• Jayden Anike (Netherlands)
• Jackson Ball (New Zealand)
• Obinna Ekezie (Nigeria)
• Peter Julius (Nigeria)
• Teo Milicic (Poland)
• Gabriel Sularski (Poland)
• Felipe Quinones (Puerto Rico)
• Abdulla Mousa (Qatar)
• Nikola Karalic (Serbia)
• Lucas Sanchez (Spain)
• Klark Riethauser (Switzerland)
• Jahmai Drayton (Trinidad and Tobago)
• Obinna Ekufu (United Kingdom)
• K’Nard Callendar (Virgin Islands)
