Among team sports, basketball is the most-played game in the United States. It’s popular among boys, girls, kids and adults, on two feet and in wheelchairs, enjoyed in gyms and blacktops and driveways in formats ranging from games of HORSE to 5v5. That’s the strength of the game in the U.S.: its flexibility and accessibility to those who want to play.
But the system that develops talent is underperforming at best, and a growing mess at worst. The past six NBA MVP awards have all gone to players who grew up outside the United States (Nikola Jokić in Serbia, Joel Embiid in Cameroon, and Giannis Antetokounmpo in Greece) – and that could easily happen again this year, with Canada’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as the frontrunner.
How are basketball players trained in the U.S. vs. other countries? What can we learn from each other? We spoke with Luka Dončić, five-time All-NBA first team guard from Slovenia, about his experience in Europe and about a new report by Dončić’s foundation comparing the U.S. and European systems. Then, on the eve of NBA All-Star Weekend, we spoke with a panel that explored the report’s findings and recommendations for improving the U.S. grassroots system.
Speakers:
- Luka Dončić, guard, Los Angeles Lakers
- Sydney Colson, guard, Athletes Unlimited Pro Basketball and Indiana Fever
- Bill Duffy, head of basketball, WME Sports
- Jeremy Goldberg, president, LeagueApps
- Craig Robinson, executive director, National Association of Basketball Coaches
- Moderator: Tom Farrey, executive director, Aspen Institute Sports & Society Program
Companion Content:
- Inside Youth Basketball, report by Luka Dončić Foundation
- What if the NBA Developed its Pipeline?, Aspen Institute blog by Farrey (2022)
- World’s Leading Sport Systems, research by Project Play
Future of Sports is a conversation series, hosted by the Aspen Institute Sports & Society Program, that helps stakeholders think through key questions shaping the future of our games, the sports industry and its impact on society. Past events examined the future of football, a series on college athlete pay including the government’s role, name, image and likeness rights and the public interest, sports betting, athlete activism, coaching, the U.S. Olympic movement, women’s pro sports, children’s rights in sports, and the future of sports in the climate crisis. Contact Sports & Society Program Executive Director Tom Farrey at [email protected] with questions or inquiries.
