Launch of D-League Youth Basketball Tournament to Develop Thailand's Next Generation of Talent
Thailand's basketball association launched a youth tournament for ages 12-16 to develop future national team players, with international-standard competition beginning in May 2026 across multiple age categories.
Thai Basketball Association president Nipont Chawalitmonthian, Thai Talent Company Limited manager Thanchai Thaomtrap, and Thai Beverage senior executive Suporn Denpaisan announced the D-League Youth Basketball competition at King's College International School Bangkok on May 9, 2026. Chawalitmonthian stated that the tournament offers youth from U12 to U16 age groups the opportunity to compete at international standards, with referees, judges, and management meeting standards comparable to international basketball federations. The key objective is to discover talented young players, including potential hidden talents in remote areas, and develop them into future national team members.
Thanchai Thaomtrap explained that D-League Youth Basketball is a collaboration between Thai Talent Company Limited and the Thai Basketball Association designed to provide a platform for all genders and ages to showcase their basketball potential and pursue professional sports careers. The U16 category received over 300 tryout participants and will conclude with a championship match by late June. The U14 tryouts begin August 1st with competition concluding in October, while U12 will launch in early 2027.
Suporn Denpaisan emphasized that 'est' continues supporting youth passion across multiple dimensions, particularly basketball. The brand has created the 'est AWESOME Playground' to provide equal opportunities for all basketball enthusiasts to compete. Eight prominent Thai basketball academies including HITECH ACADEMY, BANVAS, SWISH, ELITE Foundations, AFA, BUBUS, Kengbasketball, and BPRO participated in the tournament's player tryouts and team drafting process.
