Rising Stars Basketball Championship 4th Edition Slams Off In July

Rising Stars Basketball Championship 4th Edition Slams Off In July

Ibrahim Lateef

The fourth edition of the Rising Stars Basketball Championship is set to take place in July 2025. Organized by the Olumide Oyedeji Youth Foundation, the championship aims to promote grassroots basketball in Nigeria by identifying young talent early and providing a platform for skill development and exposure, reports BSNSports.com.ng.

According to the founder and former NBA player Olumide Oyedeji, the 2025 edition will focus on under-17 players from across the nation.

He explained that the championship seeks not only to enhance players' technical abilities but also to instil values such as discipline, teamwork, and leadership through structured training and mentorship.

“This year’s edition will bring together some of the best young prospects from all regions of Nigeria,” Oyedeji stated.

“We are committed to using basketball as a tool to empower youth, promote education, and build future leaders both on and off the court.”

Reflecting on the impact of previous editions, Olumide noted that the Most Valuable Player of the last edition, Ikenna Alozie from Dream City Christian in Arizona, is currently the number one high school player and a 5-star recruit in the United States.

Another beneficiary of the championship, Sulaimon Azeez, is a member of Nigeria's junior national team and currently plays in France.

“With over 15 beneficiaries playing abroad, we have Samson Masebinu, who was part of the NBA Academy. He is also a member of the Petro Luanda team in Angola, competing in the 2025 Basketball Africa League.”

The first edition of the championship was held in Akure, while the second and third editions took place in Lagos. Lagos won the first edition for boys, while Ogun State claimed the U-13 boys’ title.

Oyo State emerged as champions in the U-13 girls’ category, and Lagos won the girls' U-17 category.