AUBL Scholars program nurtures hoops and dreams of Asia's children

For the children from Tuanjie Primary School in Youxi county, Fujian province, stepping onto the court at Hangzhou Binjiang Gymnasium was a moment to remember.

Fresh from winning the national finals of the Yao Foundation Basketball Season, the youngsters joined a special clinic before the Asian University Basketball League (AUBL) semifinals, sharing the court with young players from across Asia and getting a glimpse of the level they hope to reach.

For AUBL, however, the purpose of bringing the children there went beyond giving them a memorable experience.

It was part of a broader experiment: using basketball to encourage young people to pursue both sports and education.

Launched in Hong Kong in December 2025, AUBL Hoop Scholars was created to connect youth basketball development with academic opportunities. Its long-term ambition is to build a pathway from youth clinics to high school and, eventually, university basketball, while promoting the idea of the "student-athlete" in Asia.

"The main goal for AUBL Hoop Scholars was to have a stronger tie between academics and athletics," said Jeffrey So, management associate of basketball development at AUBL.

"In Asia, more so than the United States, or even in Europe, as kids, we have to make a choice pretty young: Do I want to do athletics? Or do I want to give it up and fully focus on academics?" he said.

That, he argues, can limit the development of the broader sports ecosystem. In the US, basketball can instead be part of a student's educational journey, with talented athletes using sport as one route to attend leading universities.

"So, I think that is the main message for us — that you can actually do both as a kid, and you shouldn't give up your athletic dreams just because the current system incentivizes you to choose a certain path," So said.

The first AUBL Hoop Scholars Showcase, held in the Zhejiang provincial capital from Aug 5-7 alongside the AUBL, brought together eight U14 teams from across the continent. Hangzhou Tianhang won the inaugural title, defeating Mongolia's Etugen Irvesuud 53-43 in the final.

But the competition was only one part of the experience.

The young players also attended clinics led by international coaches and watched AUBL games. On Aug 8, US coaches Eric Reveno, head coach of Brown University's men's basketball team, and Mark Amaral, head coach at Oaks Christian School in California, led separate sessions for young players and coaches.

For Amaral, who previously spent three years coaching in China's CBA with Xinjiang Flying Tigers, exposure to higher levels of basketball can help young players understand what they need to work toward.

"If they aspire, if they dream, if they want to play at the highest level, then you need to see what the people at those levels are doing," Amaral said.

"Five players are on the court, but only one player has the ball. That means four players do not have the ball," Amaral said. "Them understanding what to do when they don't have the ball is crucial."

The message also reflects one of the differences So has observed between basketball cultures.

"In China, it is very technical, and players love to dribble," So said. "In the US or even Europe, there's a lot more passing, and players play with much more flow."

The aim of AUBL Hoop Scholars is therefore not simply to teach young players more moves, it is to expose them to different ways of understanding the game.

The same principle applies to the coaches working with those players.

At the coaches' clinic, Reveno shared his approach to developing players and building team culture. His three words for offense were "unselfish, smart and aggressive" — encouraging players to balance individual ambition with the needs of the team.

But his message extended well beyond basketball.

"As a coach, I've learned that all the things we teach in the game of basketball help players become better people if we teach them right," Reveno said.

That includes school, he added: "Because, when you get a good education, you have many more opportunities in life."

That philosophy sits at the heart of AUBL Hoop Scholars.

For So, the goal is not to identify the next professional basketball player at the age of 14, it is to help young people understand that their options can be broader than they imagine.

The program hopes eventually to build a regional scouting and development network, connecting promising young players with high schools and universities while allowing coaches to discover talent across borders.

The pathway is still taking shape. But So sees the potential for AUBL Hoop Scholars to become a platform that connects young basketball players across Asia and gives them opportunities that may otherwise be difficult to find.