LAGOS, NIGERIA – The fourth edition of the Rising Stars Basketball Championship, a key platform for grassroots basketball development in Nigeria, is set to take place in July 2025. Organised by the Olumide Oyedeji Youth Foundation, the annual event aims to nurture young basketball talents and instill life skills through sport.
The founder of the foundation and former NBA player, Olumide Oyedeji, announced that this year’s edition will focus on under-17 players from across the country. He emphasized that the initiative is not just about sports, but about building character, discipline, and leadership among youth.
“This year’s edition will bring together some of the best young prospects from all regions of Nigeria,” Oyedeji said. “We are committed to using basketball to empower youth, promote education, and build future leaders on and off the court.”
Highlighting the championship’s impact, Oyedeji noted that previous editions have produced standout athletes now making waves internationally. Among them is Ikenna Alozie, the Most Valuable Player of the last edition, who currently tops the U.S. high school basketball rankings as a five-star player at Dream City Christian in Arizona.
Another success story is Sulaimon Azeez, a junior national team player who is currently signed with a club in France. Oyedeji also mentioned Samson Masebinu, an alumnus of the NBA Academy and now a player with Petro Luanda of Angola, a team competing in the 2025 Basketball Africa League.
With over 15 alumni of the Rising Stars programme playing professionally outside Nigeria, the championship continues to prove its value as a springboard for young athletes pursuing both sporting and academic excellence.
