The Mayor of London has joined forces with the NBA to deliver a major programme of investment aimed at creating a lasting basketball legacy for young Londoners. Ahead of the return of top level professional action at the O2 Arena, the partnership will channel almost £2 million into facilities, coaching and affordable opportunities to play.
The announcement comes as the Memphis Grizzlies prepare to face the Orlando Magic on 18 January in the NBA London Game 2026 presented by Tissot, the first regular season fixture in the capital since 2019. City Hall says the event offers a platform to expand grassroots participation and strengthen the sport at community level.
Central to the plans is a new Facilities Development Fund, initially worth £500,000, which will refurbish and upgrade basketball courts across London. The programme will focus on weather proofing solutions at priority locations and the improvement of ten courts, with efforts under way to increase the total investment to £1 million.
A further £1 million will support the expansion of the London Coaches Programme, a joint initiative between the Mayor and the NBA. The scheme, launched in 2023, trains and employs coaches aged 16 to 30 and has already created more than 500 community roles. The next phase aims to recruit 180 additional trainees, provide employment or internships for 90 coaches and reach more than 50,000 young people over three years.
The NBA Court Time project will run from February to April, offering indoor basketball sessions for £1 at six GLL leisure centres. Delivered with the London Coaches Programme, the scheme will target youth, junior and adult players and include women only sessions to widen participation during the winter months.
These measures respond to recommendations in the State of Play report commissioned by the Mayor’s Basketball Taskforce, established in 2024 after discussions with NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum. The taskforce has also supported a new Jr NBA 3v3 tournament delivered with London Marathon Events, which involved pupils from 174 secondary schools and representation from every borough.
Basketball is now the second most popular team sport for young people in England, with 1.15 million playing weekly, while NBA fandom among UK adults has grown by 24 per cent in three years. London is home to more than 500,000 active players across schools, clubs and community programmes.
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: “Basketball continues to go from strength-to-strength in the capital and I want to use the NBA coming to our capital to create a meaningful legacy from the sport for Londoners. That is why I’m proud to be working alongside NBA and our partners to deliver this new investment to improve and expand access to London’s community courts while providing free and affordable indoor sessions during winter months to keep Londoners active. Through my new Taskforce, I’m determined to help basketball grow even further, enabling more young people to access and enjoy the sport. London is the undisputed sporting capital of the world I look forward to continuing to work with the NBA to build a better and heathier London for everyone.”
George Aivazoglou, NBA Europe and Middle East Managing Director said: “We are proud to work alongside the Mayor to create opportunities for young people and communities across the capital to play basketball and learn the values of the game. Ahead of this weekend’s game between the Memphis Grizzlies and the Orlando Magic at The 02, these initiatives reflect our shared commitment to inspiring the next generation of fans and players and come at a time when the momentum around basketball and the NBA in London and across the UK is at an all-time high.”
Andrew Clark, Head of Aquatics and Sport at GLL said: “Legacy is always at the core of what we do at GLL, and we are very excited about hosting this great project to expand the provision and grow participation in Basketball at our Better Leisure Centres across the capital. We are committed to sustaining and growing sessions beyond the £1 offer in the Spring and we are looking forward to continuing to support Basketball at all levels through 2026 and beyond.”
Nick Bitel, Chief Executive of London Marathon Group said: “Grandstand events like the NBA London Game must leave a lasting legacy that inspires the next generation to take part in basketball. Since 1992, the London Marathon Foundation has invested £13 million in 189 basketball projects nationwide, alongside initiatives like Jr. NBA 3v3, to make the sport more accessible and inclusive. Regular access to courts gives children the chance to discover basketball earlier, build confidence, and progress from playground to competition.”
Alongside the match, NBA House at Magazine London will host free interactive activities, panel sessions and opportunities to engage with the sport. Development programming delivered with Basketball England will include Jr NBA and Her Time to Play clinics and NBA Cares events, expected to reach more than 5,000 young people aged 12 to 16.
Since 2016 the Mayor has invested in grassroots sport through the £8.8 million Sport Unites programme and the Go London partnership with the London Marathon Foundation, Sport England and London Sport. More than £10 million has already supported over 200 organisations, with total investment expected to exceed £22 million and to engage 40,000 underserved young Londoners by this year.
