By: Ryan Kostecka

While the best basketball players in the world took over Vivint Arena a few weeks ago, another group of basketball stars took over the Salt Palace Convention Center and other areas throughout the state of Utah simultaneously. 

Beginning on Thursday, Feb. 16 and concluding on Sunday, Feb. 19, the Jr. NBA and Jazz Youth hosted 15 events, including a Skills Challenge, a Wheelchair Activation, an HBCU activation, and Jr. Jazz 5v5 Tournament. 

More than just hooping on the court, some events included a Jr. NBA Coaches Development Workshop, a Referee Clinic, and a Lead Together Clinic. 

Making appearances throughout the four-day event were Jazz guards Collin Sexton and Jordan Clarkson, Salt Lake City Stars players Frank Jackson and Jeenathan Williams, Buster the Bear and various NBA and WNBA All-Stars, players and legends. 

 

Tipping off the festivities, more than 10,000 Utah elementary school students joined a virtual clinic on Thursday as NBA Legend Jason Collins, Sexton and the Chicago Sky’s Kahleah Copper led a series of basketball drills and exercises.

One of the best parts about that virtual clinic was that it also focused on aspect outside of the gym, having dedicated sessions that focused on mental and emotional wellbeing. 

Over the course of the weekend over 13,000 total kids participated in the various activities, which is the largest youth participation at All-Star weekend in league history.

The four-day event really was unique in the sense that it gave all those associated with Jazz Youth the opportunity to learn lessons on and off the court from some of the best basketball minds on the planet.