2023 Nike World Basketball Festival: Celebrating the Cultural Connection

The 2023 Nike World Basketball Festival, taking place on September 15 and 16, is set to honor the rich history and promising future of Nike Basketball. This festival serves as the culmination of the summer's VS tournaments held in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, and Toronto. Beyond showcasing the best young basketball talent, it serves as a tribute to basketball's profound cultural impact.

Scott Uzzell, Vice President and General Manager of Nike North America, emphasizes the significance of basketball to Nike, stating, "If running is the heart of Nike, then basketball has always been Nike’s soul." New York City, with its deep cultural connection to basketball, serves as the ideal host for this celebration.

The festival will take place at Lincoln Center, an iconic venue known for its association with movement and cultural expression. It aims to bring the essence of basketball back to New York City, the epicenter of the sport's cultural heritage.

David Hollander, a professor at New York University and author of "How Basketball Can Save the World: 13 Guiding Principles for Reimagining What’s Possible," highlights basketball's unique ability to offer insights into the human condition. He underscores the sport's global influence and its potential for shaping the future.

The tournament will feature 80 top high school basketball players, evenly divided between girls and boys, representing 23 states and three countries. Winners will receive exclusive limited-edition jerseys designed in collaboration with Cactus Jack. The championship games on September 16 will be streamed live on the NBA app and YouTube.

Mikal Bridges, a small forward with the Brooklyn Nets, captures the distinctive energy of New York City basketball, emphasizing that this event brings together emerging talent, basketball legends, and those who contribute to the city's basketball culture.

As part of Nike's heritage in apparel, lifestyle, and performance, a series of exhibits in Damrosch Park will showcase how basketball has driven innovation and design within the brand for decades. These exhibits will feature iconic silhouettes and artifacts from the Nike archives, highlighting pivotal moments in Nike Basketball's history. This installation will also provide a first look at Nike Basketball’s upcoming holiday collection.