Over 200 young basketball players from across Nigeria took part at the Dolphins Basketball Court in Lagos this week as the inaugural SSA-Templar-Adrenale National Basketball Combine got under way—an event described as the first grassroots basketball development gathering to receive formal backing from the Nigerian presidency.
The programme was staged through a joint effort between the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Grassroots Sports Development and the Templar-Adrenale Athlete Development Initiative. From the opening pool of participants, 14 players are set to earn a place in the Templar-Adrenale High-Performance Development Program, a pathway built around advanced training and mentorship, with additional education support, NIL investment, and opportunities for international exposure.
Hon. Adeyinka Anthony Adeboye, who serves as the Senior Special Assistant on Grassroots Sports Development, attended the combine and highlighted the initiative as a reflection of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s focus on nurturing youth and strengthening sports development.
“We need to do more for grassroots sports in Nigeria,” Adeboye said. “I want every athlete here to be assured of government support. We must continue to build the next generation that will make Nigeria proud globally.”
Behind the collaboration is a decade-long development agreement between the two sides, designed to support grassroots athlete development across multiple sports. Event officials said the long-term ambition is to create a clearly structured talent pipeline, complete with routes that could ultimately lead players toward the NBA and professional competitions in Europe and the United States.
