2026 National Youth Basketball Championship Concludes in Busan with KBL Youth Teams Competing

The “2026 National Youth Basketball Championship: I Am a Basketball Player” ended in Busan on Aug. 8 after a series of 20 games featuring youth teams from six KBL clubs, viva100.com reported.

The tournament, hosted by Pen&Mike and organized by the Pen&Mike Culture Business Division, began on the afternoon of Aug. 7 at the Busan Metropolitan Office of Education Student Education and Culture Center Gymnasium. Six professional basketball clubs’ youth representative teams participated: Busan KCC Egis, Seoul SK Knights, Ulsan Hyundai Mobis Phoebus, Changwon LG Sakers, Seoul Samsung Thunders, and Anyang Jung Kwan Red Boosters.

Players competed in two age categories, U11 (5th grade) and U12 (6th grade), playing a total of 20 games through Aug. 8. The U12 championship match was held in the morning, followed by the U11 final in the afternoon, to determine the winners for each division.

The opening ceremony on the 7th was attended by figures from various sectors, including Cheon Young-sik, a representative; anchor Heo Hyeon-jun; Kim Jin-seong, editor-in-chief; Son Jeong-su, Busan bureau chief; National Assembly members Lee Heun-seung and Jeong Seong-guk; Kim Jae-un, chairman of the Busan Metropolitan Council’s Operation Committee; and Baek Young-sook, a Busan Metropolitan Council member.

Assembly member Lee Heun-seung delivered a congratulatory speech, emphasizing the importance of teamwork in basketball. “Basketball is not a sport you can win by performing well alone; teamwork is incredibly important,” he said. “Above all, I hope you prioritize safety and make many memories in Busan.”

Busan Mayor Jeon Jae-soo sent a congratulatory telegram stating, “I hope all players showcase their skills without injury and take one step closer to their bigger dreams.”

Additional congratulatory telegrams were sent by National Assembly members Park Soo-young, Kim Do-eob, Seo Ji-young, Kim Hee-jeong, Joo Jin-woo, Lee Seong-gwon, and Kim Mi-ae, as well as Busan Metropolitan Council Chairman Kang Mu-gil and Seong Nak-wook, chairman of the Busan Jin-gu Council.

The event’s atmosphere was lifted by a cheerleading performance from the Busan children’s cheering squad “Shooting Star.” During a ceremonial tip-off, a ball thrown by Cheon Young-sik passed through the rim, drawing applause from the crowd.

In his opening remarks, Cheon Young-sik expressed his hope for the tournament’s purpose. “Beyond a place to decide victory or defeat, I hope this becomes a space where young people learn to respect each other and grow by learning the values of challenge and cooperation through fair competition,” he said.

The closing ceremony on Aug. 8, held at 5:30 p.m., featured comedian Heo Dong-hwan (Heo-dong 9th Dan) as the host. The event included prize draws for parents and a “Parent Free Throw Time.”

All members of the winning and runner-up teams received Nike products, while coaching staff for each team were given Shinsegae gift certificates. Parents were eligible for prizes including Samjin Eomuk sets, Starbucks long umbrellas, and Shinsegae Department Store cosmetic sets.

The tournament was supported by Molten, Lotte Chilsung Beverage, Bravo Food, Dwip, On Hospital, Samjin Eomuk, Hosikage Ryokan, Sihang Cultural Space, and Daeseong Printech.