Bermuda youngsters will have the opportunity to represent teams such as the LA Lakers and Boston Celtics in the first Junior NBA league to be held on island.

The junior league for boys and girls aged between 7 and 15 has been organised by the Wolfpack Hoops and will give youngsters the chance to represent different NBA teams while learning the game. The Wolfpack Hoops has a history of working with the NBA on various initiatives.

Charles Peters, the Wolfpack founder, said: “We started working with the NBA in 2014 with the NBA Jumpstart programme that had several boys and girls from Bermuda compete with young players from across the Caribbean.

“With the success we had in that relationship, the seeds were planted for us to become an official Junior NBA programme. Wolfpack has now grown to become an international programme with locations in Bermuda, Philadelphia, and Atlanta and we are currently running Jr NBA programsmes in multiple cities.”

Jason Lowe is the commissioner of the Junior NBA league to launch in Bermuda.

“The goal of the Junior NBA is to teach the fundamentals and values of basketball at the grassroots level to grow and improve the game for boys and girls,” Lowe said.

“It is our hope to positively impact youth basketball while helping to instill core values such as teamwork, respect, determination and community in young players.”

The programme kicks off on Saturday, January 10. Registration begins at 12.30pm at the Mount Saint Agnes Gymnasium.

The skills clinic has been split by two age group: 6 to 9 from 12.45pm to 2.30pm, and 10 to 14 from 6.15pm to 9pm.