NBA, Global Basketball Community Unite for World Basketball Day Celebration

This article is from a press release by the NBA

The NBA and the global basketball community are set to mark World Basketball Day on Dec. 21 with a wide-ranging celebration aimed at engaging hundreds of millions of fans and youth across the world, highlighting basketball’s roots, reach and enduring social impact.

Now in its third year, World Basketball Day commemorates the date in 1891 when Dr. James Naismith first introduced the game of basketball at a YMCA in Springfield, Massachusetts. Established by the United Nations in 2023, the annual celebration recognizes basketball as a unifying force across cultures and continents—an idea the NBA is embracing through clinics, community programs, digital campaigns and in-arena activations worldwide.

This year’s observance carries added significance as it coincides with the 175th anniversary of the YMCA, widely regarded as the birthplace of the sport. In recognition of that milestone, the NBA and YMCA announced a year-long collaboration focused on youth basketball and community development, extending a long-standing partnership that will support millions of young people and families across the United States.

The initiative will include youth-focused programming and renovations of select YMCA facilities nationwide, directly benefiting the more than six million youth the YMCA serves annually. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver emphasized the historical importance of the moment, noting that World Basketball Day in 2025 serves as both a celebration of the game’s origins and a reflection of its global influence more than a century later.

“World Basketball Day takes on a special meaning this year as we commemorate the 175th anniversary of the YMCA, where the sport was first invented 134 years ago,” Silver said. “We are thrilled to join our many friends in the basketball community to celebrate the game’s impact and influence around the world.”

The NBA’s digital footprint will play a central role in the celebration. Across its global and localized social platforms, the league will feature NBA players sharing what World Basketball Day means to them, alongside highlights from events taking place in different regions. Fans are encouraged to participate by tagging @nba, @nbacares and @jrnba on social media using the hashtag #WorldBasketballDay.

On the grassroots level, the Jr. NBA and Jr. WNBA programs, along with NBA Basketball School initiatives that reach tens of millions of youth and coaches globally, will gain access to a special playbook containing exclusive training and educational content designed to promote skill development and values such as teamwork and leadership.

World Basketball Day will also intersect with the NBA’s competitive calendar. Dec. 21 will serve as a “3-for-1 Day” in NBA All-Star Voting, allowing fans with an NBA ID to submit one ballot per day via the NBA App or NBA.com, with each vote counting triple toward All-Star selections.

Across the United States, numerous NBA franchises—including the Lakers, Celtics, Heat, Bucks, Mavericks and Warriors—will celebrate through localized events and in-arena activities. Several player-led initiatives will headline the festivities, including youth clinics hosted by former and current NBA players such as Taj Gibson and Michael Carter-Williams. In St. Louis, the Gateway Region YMCA recently hosted a youth clinic attended by Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum, who also announced upcoming YMCA renovations supported by NBA Cares and The Jayson Tatum Foundation.

Internationally, the scope of World Basketball Day underscores the NBA’s global reach. FIBA will announce the inductees for its 2026 Hall of Fame class, while NBA Africa and the Basketball Africa League will deploy 19 coaches to conduct clinics across 13 African nations, reaching more than 600 coaches as part of a long-term effort to develop the sport on the continent.

The Philippines, one of the NBA’s most passionate international markets, will play a visible role in the celebration. Local basketball players and content creators from the country will be featured across the NBA’s localized channels, while NBA Stores in the Philippines will host World Basketball Day scavenger hunts offering fans the chance to win merchandise and exclusive discounts. Beginning on Dec. 21, fans who purchase official NBA merchandise at participating stores will also receive a complimentary World Basketball Day T-shirt while supplies last.

NBA champion Jayson Tatum highlighted the personal significance of the day, pointing to basketball’s role in shaping lives beyond the court. “World Basketball Day is a chance to celebrate the game and the impact it has on people everywhere,” Tatum said. “Basketball has had such a positive influence on my life, and I hope I can pass along the joy and skills I’ve learned to the next generation.”

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert echoed those sentiments, emphasizing the sport’s ability to open doors for girls and women worldwide. Leaders from FIBA, USA Basketball, the NCAA, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, the NBCA and the NFHS also underscored basketball’s educational, cultural and community value, reinforcing the idea that the game’s influence stretches far beyond professional leagues.

As basketball continues to grow as the world’s fastest-rising sport and the second most popular globally, World Basketball Day stands as both a tribute to its humble beginnings and a celebration of its future. From neighborhood gyms to global arenas, Dec. 21 will once again spotlight how a simple game invented more than a century ago continues to connect communities, inspire youth and bring the world together through a shared love for basketball.