By SAM LANCE
NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. — One of the most prestigious events on the entire basketball calendar isn’t an NBA event, and it isn’t an NCAA event, either. It’s the Nike Peach Jam where today’s top high school prospects — and tomorrow’s NBA stars — clash head-to-head during a 10-day tournament for a trophy full of ripe, ready-to-eat Peaches.
Casual basketball and sports fans might not even know such an event exists. But now, the NBA is helping showcase these upcoming college and NBA prospects to a national audience.
For the second-straight year, NBA TV partnered with Nike to broadcast 20 games from the event. All contests were streamed on the NBA app with select games simulcasting to NBA TV and NBA YouTube. Popular media personalities like Adam Finkelstein, John Fanta, Krysten Peek, Myron Medcalf, Randolph Childress, and Terrence Oglesby served as the announcers.
For the players, NBA TV’s broadcasting was a great opportunity to showcase their skills to the world. And for the fans, it was a unique chance to see the next batch of NBA and college talent while the prospects are still in high school. “I think every year you will have a handful of guys who from a social point the casual person has heard their name before,” said Rob Kelly, a former basketball content acquisition manager for BallerTV who has been watching grassroots basketball for 20 years. “But as you sort of step away from that, especially when you’re talking about young talent, you get a chance to be introduced to these guys at a national level. So like Jordan Smith, he’s basically been playing 17s since he was an eighth grader. A.J.[Dybantsa] has been playing 17s since he was a ninth grader. So if you were tuning into those guys in previous years, you’re basically getting introduced to future pros before they’re necessarily bonafide pros.” Kelly continued: “So it’s always pretty cool just as a basketball fan to kind of be able to watch someone’s genesis. And if you’re an old enough age, you remember watching LeBron James on ESPN back when he was in high school and just sort of the memories that come back from that. So if an A.J., or Cooper [Flagg] basically live up to projections, you get a chance to had be introduced to them before college and before they are lottery picks. So it’s a pretty cool thing for fans. And it’s a pretty cool things for athletes as well.” Currently, 62% of the NBA is comprised of players that have played on the Nike EYBL circuit and at Peach Jam. When you walked into the gym this year, you would see posters of Rob Dillingham, who formerly played with Team CP3 on the circuit, went to Kentucky and was a top-10 pick to the Timberwolves this past draft. You could also see former NBA greats like Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony and Matt Barnes — as well as current players like Bradley Beal, Paul George and Ja Morant — taking in all of the action. Peach Jam simply breeds NBA players. And it’s attended by former greats, NBA scouts and college coaches. This widespread attention — plus NBA TV’s broadcasting of the event — is why many, including Kelly, believe showcasing these athletes at such a formative stage is beneficial for the future of basketball. “Grassroots basketball has always been fairly known and fairly popular, but with the added exposure and to be honest with you with the 2025 and 2026 classes, it only continues to grow things,” former Clemson forward and one of the event announcers, Terrence Oglesby, said. “With the Boozer brothers, with Cooper Flagg last year, we kind of saw the hoo-hah around it. It’s gotten bigger and more popular and I’m happy for the kids that they get to put their show on the main stage so to speak. Let’s be honest, every time you see somebody at Peach Jam, there’s three or four guys that are going to be on the big stage. But at the same time there’s about seven or eight others that aren’t ever going to reach that. So it’s pretty cool that they get their time to shine too. It’s a unique thing to be able to capture some of these guys growing up in real time.” This year’s Peach Jam field included some top tier names. At the 17u level you have the son’s of former NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer, Cameron and Cayden. Eddie House’s twins, Kaden and Kalek. Kiyan Anthony, the son of Carmelo Anthony. Tajh Ariza, the son of Trevor Ariza. Jermaine O’Neal Jr. The projected No. 1 pick in 2026 in Dybantsa. Plus several more players who will play in the NBA one day or at an elite level in college. The list goes on and on. “It makes you feel nostalgic,” Peach Jam broadcaster John Fanta said. “It gives you a new player to root for. I just think it is such a full circle thing for these former players to one, sponsor a team. Or two, for the ones that are fathers, to have their sons playing. It’s emotional. It goes beyond sport. It shows the power of basketball. Basketball is a linear game. You know, there’s generations who have played it over the years. So to see the next generation here, which is what we’re doing, to see their first steps, that’s what’s really cool about this.” Another former NBA player, Matt Barnes, has twins as well playing at the 15u level in Carter and Isaiah Barnes. He reflected on NBA TV’s broadcasting of the games and said that we are “watching tomorrow’s stars.” “I think it’s amazing the NBA is starting to understand that,” Barnes said. “And they’re giving people around the country a chance at seeing some of the up-and-coming talent.” As for the players, it’s encouraging for them to know they are being showcased nationally. In particular, Cayden Boozer, who won 17u Peach Jam with Nightrydas Elite, thinks it’s impactful for NBA admirers to see them while they are young. “It’s a great experience for NBA scouts and NBA fans to watch the new generation,” Boozer said. “They’re doing a great job with that.” “I think it means a lot you know because we’ve been working our whole lives for this opportunity,” Kalek House added. “So just playing under the lights, everyone watching, it’s just fun you know.” A unique aspect of the NBA’s broadcast of Peach Jam this year was it’s pairing with other events in the basketball world, as well as it’s viewership competition with other sports. During Peach Jam you really had nothing else going on. The MLB was on it’s All-Star break. There’s no NFL or NHL. College football and basketball are in the offseason. But for basketball fans, you had the Summer League going on. You had USA basketball. And then, Peach Jam. “From a fan standpoint, you’re basically able to get your basketball fix,” Kelly said. “If you’re a basketball junkie, you’re watching Summer League games. And so you’re also loving the fact you’re being educated, if you’re not necessarily a grassroots person, on who this talent is as well.” It’s only been two years in the making for NBA TV broadcasting Peach Jam games. But with all of the talent featured on the Nike circuit — and players looking more skilled and athletic each year — we are likely bound to see more coverage from the NBA in the future “Hopefully we can do more of it,” Nightrydas head coach Andrew Moran said. “I think it’s a great thing for the kids. I think it’s a great thing for our grassroots basketball to be able to televise it and showcase some of the top talent in the country. It’s pretty awesome, and I hope it continues.” Follow Sam Lance on Twitter Follow Adam Zagoria on Twitter Follow ZAGSBLOGHoops on Instagram And Like ZAGS on FacebookThe rest of the schedule for Peach Jam games via @NBATV, for those interested. pic.twitter.com/ION5jHxboB
— Sam Lance (@slancehoops) July 18, 2024
