VILNIUS (Lithuania) - As emphasized by FIBA's Strategy to Shape International Club Competitions and also to Develop Youth Basketball, a series of innovative programs are continuing to provide the young players with precious international experience.
Through the collaboration of FIBA's Regional Offices in Europe and the Americas, a new event took place in June 2025, as FIBA Next Gen Hoops Invitational saw Rytas Vilnius take on The Grind Session select team in Vilnius, Lithuania.
Rytas Vilnius hosted the event as two-time Youth Basketball Champions League winners, including most recently, in Manisa, Türkiye in April 2025.
That was the third edition of the Youth BCL, with the level of competition growing with each passing year, and some of the players from the first two seasons already getting a taste of action on senior level, in the Basketball Champions League in Europe.
The Grind Session select team was put together with some of the most intriguing prospects from the United States, high school players who spent the season playing The Grind Session circuit, the first-ever winter circuit for elite high school players in the Americas, with nearly 3,000 participants.
The Grind Session is one of the most prestigious programs in the Americas. The list of alumni includes the current NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and global stars such as Jayson Tatum, Jamal Murray, Paolo Banchero and LaMelo Ball.
Getting Rytas Vilnius and the Grind Session on the same court was in line with FIBA's significant contributions to supporting and organizing youth club competitions, which provide a competitive environment for young players outside of national teams. The aforementioned Youth BCL, which Rytas Vilnius had won in April, is a perfect example of such competition.
At the same time, FIBA's Youth Development Program in the Americas has a goal to nurture young talent and expand access to basketball across the region, which led to a partnership with the Grind Session circuit.
With those two incentives combined, the birth of the FIBA Next Gen Hoops Invitational seemed like a logical step in the right direction.
Across two games in Lithuania played on June 4 and June 5, Rytas Vilnius picked up a pair of wins over The Grind Session (107-84; 103-83), adding more silverware to their cabinets dedicated to youth basketball. For more information on the event, click here.
With positive feedback from the players, coaches, and staff members, the first edition of the FIBA Next Gen Hoops Invitational was a successful one, providing motivation to make this an annual event.
FIBA