Mayor & NBA confirm more than £1.5m investment in London basketball legacy

A major new investment in London’s basketball infrastructure and participation pathways was confirmed ahead of the NBA’s return to London for the first time since 2019, with nearly £2 million committed to facilities, coaching and affordable access to the game.

The announcement was made in the build-up to Sunday’s NBA London Game at The O2, where the Orlando Magic faced the Memphis Grizzlies, marking the league’s first regular-season game in the capital since 2019.

Central to the legacy plans is a new Facilities Development Fund led by City Hall, which will initially invest £500,000 into refurbishing and upgrading community basketball courts across London.

The fund will focus on improving access, safety and year-round usability, including weather-proofing solutions at priority sites, with an initial target of refurbishing 10 outdoor courts. City Hall is also working to leverage additional partners and funding to grow the total investment to £1 million.

Alongside the facilities investment, a £1 million expansion of the Mayor and NBA’s flagship London Coaches Programme, was also confirmed.

Launched in 2023, the programme focuses on upskilling, employing and deploying young London-based basketball coaches aged 16–30 and has already helped create more than 500 community coaches across the capital. The expanded phase will support a further 180 new trainees, provide direct employment or internship opportunities for 90 coaches, and is expected to reach more than 50,000 young people over the next three years.

In addition, a new NBA Court Time initiative will offer £1 indoor basketball sessions from February to April, helping to keep Londoners active during the winter months. Sessions will initially run across six GLL-operated leisure centres and will cater for juniors, youth and adults, including dedicated women-only sessions. The programme will be delivered in collaboration with the London Coaches Programme.

London’s Violence Reduction Unit and its Young People’s Action Group have worked closely with the NBA legacy team to help shape the delivery of the £1 sessions, ensuring they reach young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and prioritise safety, inclusion and access to positive, structured activity.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: “Basketball continues to go from strength to strength in the capital, and I want the NBA coming to London to leave a meaningful legacy for Londoners. That’s why we’re investing in better community courts, developing the next generation of coaches, and offering affordable indoor sessions during the winter so more people can play, stay active and enjoy the game. Through my Basketball Taskforce, I’m determined to help the sport grow even further and ensure more young people have access to the opportunities basketball can offer.”

George Aivazoglou, NBA Europe and Middle East Managing Director, said: “We’re proud to work alongside the Mayor to create more opportunities for young people and communities across London to play basketball and learn the values of the game. These initiatives reflect our shared commitment to growing basketball in the capital and inspiring the next generation of players and fans, at a time when momentum around the NBA and the sport in London is higher than ever.”

Basketball is now the second most popular team sport among young people in England, with more than 1.15 million playing weekly, while London is home to an estimated 500,000 active players across schools, clubs and community programmes.

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