"Something the kids won't ever forget" : Lauren Jackson on the NBA Rising Stars Invitational

The Opals great says the expanded tournament, which recently held qualifiers in Melbourne, is an exciting new pathway for school-age Australian ballers.

Image credit: NBA Asia / Eric Teo

Last year, some of the best young basketball talent across Asia-Pacific competed at the inaugural NBA Rising Stars International in Singapore.

This year, the event expanded, with Melbourne, Bangkok, Taipei and Tokyo all hosting qualifying tournaments for the Singapore tournament.

Australian basketball legend Lauren Jackson was on hand to watch the Melbourne leg, which took place at the State Basketball Centre from May 8 to 10. Eight boys’ school teams and five girls’ teams competed.

“Having the NBA brand out here and being exposed to the way that the NBA does things, that’s a really exciting thing, and something the kids won’t ever forget,” Jackson told The Pick and Roll from courtside.