Jr. NBA 3v3 arrives in Greater Manchester for schools in 2026

Key Points

• Greater Manchester will host the Jr. NBA 3v3 program that is being jointly organized by London Marathon Events (LME) and National Basketball Association (NBA).
• The competition will be free for both primary and secondary schools in the region to enter.
• Applications from schools have to be made by Friday, October 30, 2026.
• Round robin matches will be held in mid-December 2026 while the Finals Day matches will take place in January 2027.
• The final matches will involve Boys’, Girls’ and Wheelchair Basketball categories.
• Hugh Brasher, Chief Executive Officer, London Marathon Events and Neal Meyer, NBA Vice President of Basketball Operations for Europe and Middle East have released their statements regarding the development.
• This program coincides with the first NBA regular season match in Greater Manchester in January 2027.
• The event will utilize My Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA app for scheduling, results, and live streaming.

Manchester (Manchester Mirror) September 15, 2026 – London Marathon Events (LME) and the National Basketball Association (NBA) are expanding the Jr. NBA 3v3 basketball programme into Greater Manchester, with the free competition set to launch across primary and secondary schools in the region.

As reported by staff at the Bury Times, the programme aims to boost participation and give children more opportunities to learn and play basketball in a fun, competitive environment using the fast-paced 3-on-3 format.

How will schools in Greater Manchester join the Jr. NBA 3v3 competition?

Schools across Greater Manchester can now register for the Jr. NBA 3v3 programme, which is open to both primary and secondary institutions. The registration window closes on Friday, October 30, 2026.

Once registered, schools will compete in qualifying rounds by mid-December 2026. The top teams from these qualifiers will advance to a Finals Day tournament scheduled for January 2027. Full details of the finals event will be announced closer to the date.

What categories and formats are included in the Greater Manchester finals?

The finals will showcase the region’s best young talent across boys’, girls’ and wheelchair categories, supporting the inclusion of wheelchair basketball and promoting broader access to the sport.

The 3-on-3 basketball format, played with three players per team on a smaller court, debuted at the 2021 Olympics and was also featured at the Paris 2024 Games.

What have London Marathon Events and the NBA said about the expansion?

Hugh Brasher, CEO at London Marathon Events, said: “Greater Manchester is the perfect location to grow Jr. NBA 3v3.”

As reported by the Bury Times, Brasher added: “The city has a deep-rooted history in basketball and has supported the growth of professional basketball for decades, which has seen the game flourish in local communities and schools.”

He continued:

“More recently, the launch of Manchester Basketball and the NBA’s decision to bring a regular-season game to the city in 2027 reinforces Greater Manchester’s position as a go-to destination for the sport, linking grassroots participation with the global game.”

Neal Meyer, NBA Vice President of Basketball Operations, Europe and Middle East, said:

“Expanding Jr. NBA 3v3 into Greater Manchester builds on the success of our collaboration with London Marathon Events and reflects our commitment to making basketball more accessible to young people across the UK.”

As reported by the Bury Times, Meyer added:

“Ahead of the first-ever NBA regular-season game in Greater Manchester this January, we look forward to working with LME to provide more boys and girls across the region with the opportunity to learn the game and enjoy a healthy, active lifestyle.”

How will technology support the Jr. NBA 3v3 competition in Greater Manchester?

The Jr. NBA 3v3 competition will be supported by the My Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA app. The app provides schedules, results, live streaming, and resources for participants, coaches, and organisers.

Background: How did the Jr. NBA 3v3 programme develop before the Greater Manchester expansion?

The Jr. NBA 3v3 programme was launched in 2025 by the NBA, in collaboration with London Marathon Events (LME), to get more children playing 3v3 basketball in London’s primary and secondary schools. In its inaugural 2025 edition, 174 secondary schools took part, representing every London borough, with many schools subsequently establishing weekly basketball clubs.

In 2026, the programme expanded to include a primary schools pathway for the first time, inviting mixed teams of boys and girls in Years 5 and 6 (ages 9 to 11) to compete in borough events, with the chance to progress through Area Finals to a Grand Finals. The 2026 London finals were held at high-profile venues including Trafalgar Square for secondary schools on Thursday, July 9, 2026, and the University of East London’s SportsDock for the inaugural primary school finals on Friday, June 5, 2026.

The London-wide initiative has been supported by the Mayor of London, with additional investment announced to improve basketball facilities across the capital as part of a long-term legacy from the NBA’s return to London. The programme has also included wheelchair basketball pathways and coaching clinics alongside the competitive finals.

Prediction: How could the Greater Manchester Jr. NBA 3v3 expansion affect schools, pupils and local basketball stakeholders?

The expansion of Jr. NBA 3v3 into Greater Manchester is likely to increase structured basketball opportunities for pupils in both primary and secondary schools, particularly through the inclusion of boys’, girls’ and wheelchair categories. With qualifying rounds by mid-December and a finals event in January 2027, schools may establish or strengthen weekly basketball clubs and inter-house competitions to prepare teams, mirroring developments seen in London after the 2025 pilot.

For local coaches, community clubs and emerging professional structures such as Manchester Basketball, the programme could create a clearer pathway from school participation to higher-level competition, especially as it aligns with the first NBA regular-season game planned for Greater Manchester in January 2027. The use of the My Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA app for schedules, results and live streaming may also normalise digital tools for grassroots sport administration in the region.

If participation mirrors London’s early scale, dozens of schools across Greater Manchester could engage in the first year, potentially embedding 3v3 basketball into physical education curricula and after-school provision. Over time, this may influence facility usage, local tournament calendars and talent identification processes, while offering a low-cost, inclusive entry point to the sport for children who might not otherwise access organised basketball.