For years, the whispers came from across the Pacific. The Nike EYBL. The league where young hoopers went from being names on local rosters to first-round draft picks. It wasn’t just a tournament — it was the stage. The place where NBA dreams started taking shape.
Kevin Durant. Jayson Tatum. Anthony Edwards. Their highlight reels didn’t just explode in high school gyms — they blew up under the bright lights of EYBL courts. The league was where legends in the making went to battle.
But here’s the truth: for ballers from Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific, EYBL always felt like another world. Too far. Too locked down. Too U.S.-only.
Until now.
Locked In Elite has officially done what no one else in this part of the world has done before: partnered exclusively with Nike’s EYBL. We’re the first program in Australia and New Zealand to bring this global platform to our players. And that changes everything.
This partnership isn’t just about jerseys with a swoosh. It’s about creating a direct pipeline. It means young hoopers from Melbourne to Auckland to Suva now have a pathway straight into the most scouted grassroots basketball league on the planet. The place where high school phenoms get noticed. The place where scholarships are earned. The place where futures are decided.
Breaking Barriers: How Locked In Elite Brought Nike’s EYBL to Australia & New Zealand
For years, the idea of an Australian or New Zealand team competing in Nike’s Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL) felt like a distant dream. The EYBL, widely regarded as the gold standard of American youth basketball – was an exclusive arena where the top U.S. high school teams battled for supremacy. But in 2025, that barrier was finally broken. Locked In Elite made history as the first program from Australia/New Zealand to join the EYBL family, bringing a slice of Oceania onto grassroots basketball’s biggest stage.
This partnership didn’t happen overnight. It was the result of years of groundwork, relationship-building, and a vision to elevate local talent to a global level. Locked In Elite’s acceptance into the EYBL is more than just a symbolic win, it’s a tangible pathway for Pacific-region players to compete against America’s best. The EYBL’s reputation speaks volumes: it features invitation-only events and marquee tournaments like Peach Jam, a hotspot for college recruiters and NBA scouts. By earning a spot in this elite circuit, Locked In Elite ensured that young athletes from Down Under can now measure themselves against the top-ranked U.S. prospects on equal footing.
The move has been met with excitement on both sides of the Pacific. American coaches and scouts are intrigued by the untapped talent pool in Australia and New Zealand, regions that have already produced NBA players despite having limited exposure. Meanwhile, Aussie and Kiwi players are embracing the challenge. No longer is Peach Jam just a late-night stream or a social media highlight for them; it’s a realistic goal. (The Peach Jam tournament serves as the culminating championship of the EYBL each July in North Augusta, South Carolina, bringing together all the top qualifiers.) For a kid shooting hoops in Sydney or Auckland, the thought that their team could punch a ticket to Peach Jam – and play in front of Coach Calipari or NBA scouts in a packed gym – is fuel for relentless hard work.
In breaking this barrier, Locked In Elite hasn’t just secured a spot in a league, it has opened a door. The first time those Aussie and Kiwi teens pulled on their Nike EYBL jerseys, it signified a new era. They’re carrying the pride of a region with them. Every rebound, every fast break, and every high-flying dunk they execute on U.S. soil tells a story: we belong here. And perhaps the most exciting part? This is only the beginning. By bringing EYBL to Australia and New Zealand, Locked In Elite has laid a foundation that others will surely build upon, ensuring that the pipeline between Pacific hoops and U.S. elite basketball stays wide open for future generations.
It’s history. It’s opportunity. And it’s ours.
Locked In Elite isn’t just opening a door — we’re kicking it down for every baller in the region hungry to prove they belong on that stage. The partnership with EYBL is proof that the game here has grown too big, too strong, too talented to be ignored.
This is the new era. Welcome to it.
