May 24, 2023
New York, NY - Learn Fresh today announced the student selections for the 2023 NBA Math Hoops Global Championship, which will include students from programs outside the U.S. for the first time in program history.
The NBA Math Hoops Global Championship, formerly the NBA Math Hoops National Championship, is the flagship event of the NBA Math Hoops program, convening students from across the US and around the world for three days of competition, learning, and fun. This year’s event will take place June 21-24 in New York, NY in conjunction with the 2023 NBA Draft, with participants drawn from over 200,000 students who participated in NBA Math Hoops programming during the 2022-23 school year. Throughout the event, students will participate in STEM activations with key partners, explore New York City, and compete to be named NBA Math Hoops Global Champion.
The 2023 Global Championship will feature teams of students from across the U.S., as well as teams from Australia and South Africa. As part of the NBA Africa initiative and through a partnership with NBA Africa and Boys and Girls Clubs of South Africa, Learn Fresh has implemented NBA Math Hoops in Johannesburg, South Africa for the past two seasons, and two students will represent Alexandra Township, Johannesburg at this year’s event. In addition, two students will travel from Melbourne, Australia to represent The Huddle, the community arm of the North Melbourne Football club, where students have participated in NBA Math Hoops programs since 2021.
The 2023 Global Championship marks the tenth year of NBA Math Hoops programming, the fifth in-person edition of the season-culminating event, and the first such event under the Global Championship moniker. Learn Fresh co-hosted previous editions of the NBA Math Hoops National Championship twice with the Golden State Warriors, once with the Detroit Pistons, and most recently last year with the Sixers and Sixers Youth Foundation following a two-year break due to the pandemic.
The 2023 Global Championship participants include nominees from the 2022-23 NBA Math Hoops season representing 23 regions, including 17 NBA and WNBA markets. The participants reflect the diversity of NBA Math Hoops program students across the U.S., which are a combined 50 percent Black/African American and Hispanic/Latino, a nearly equal gender split (46% female-identifying, 53.5% male-identifying), and 89 percent in grades 4-6.
Months of gameplay culminate in the NBA Math Hoops Global Championship. To qualify for application to the Global Championship, students must play a minimum of 25 games of NBA Math Hoops and complete ten curriculum units over the course of a program season. Students must also display a high degree of growth through the program, a dedication to practicing good sportsmanship, and an ability to overcome adversity either inside or outside the classroom. Students meeting these criteria are nominated by their program educator to apply, and participants are selected from the pool of applicants.
Since 2012, NBA Math Hoops has served over 750,000 students in partnership with 27 NBA and WNBA teams and founding partners including the NBA, Hasbro, and Getty Images.
2023 NBA Math Hoops Global Championship Particpants:
Alexander Kenion — Charlotte, NC — Hornets Math Hoops
Annabelle Strauss — Brunswick, OH — Cavaliers Math Hoops Presented by Rocket Mortgage
Archer Wright — Melbourne, AU — The Huddle/North Melbourne Football Club
Ashton Sanders — Detroit, MI — Pistons Math Hoops
Daniela Rodriguez — San Antonio, TX — TX ACE Math Hoops
Derion Bonner — Ames, IA — Ames MS Math Hoops/Harrison Barnes
Elani Yip — San Francisco, CA — Warriors Math Hoops
Emmett Whitcher — Melbourne, AU — The Huddle/North Melbourne Football Club
Genevieve Koberstein — Julesburg, CO — Nuggets Math Hoops
Geroge Decker — Portland, OR — Trail Blazers Math Hoops
Jonathan Ikpe — Oklahoma City, OK — Thunder Math Hoops Presented by Devon Energy
Jordyn Ma — Lehi, UT — Jazz Math Hoops
Jovana Sekulovski — Indianapolis, IN — Pacers/Fever Math Hoops Presented by Eli Lilly Co Foundation
Junior Mavhungu — Alexandra, Johannesburg, South Africa — NBA Africa
Kamogelo Mashigo — Alexandra, Johannesburg, South Africa — NBA Africa
Kennie Thomss — Galt, CA — Kings Math Hoops Presented by NBC Sports
Langston Shaffer — Phoenix, AZ — Suns Math Hoops
Malachi Ramirez — Chesapeake, VA
Nathanial Gonzalez — San Antonio, TX — Spurs Math Hoops Presented by Whataburger
Qaadir Cason — Philadelphia, PA — Sixers Math Hoops
Ramona Thousand — Cypress, CA — Clippers Math Hoops
Sebastian Supp — Seattle, WA — Storm Math Hoops Presented by AT&T
Stephanie Sibrian — Hempstead, NY
Taniaja Hoover — Milwaukee, WI — Bucks Math Hoops Powered by SC Johnson
Tony Hayar — Little Rock, AR — Little Rock School District
Viviana Spezzia — Los Angeles, CA — Lakers Math Hoops Presented by Comerica Bank
About NBA Math Hoops
NBA Math Hoops delivers fundamental math and social-emotional learning through a basketball-themed board game in both physical and digital forms, a curriculum that builds math and social-emotional competencies, and a community program experience. The program explicitly targets students in grades 4-8 who have historically been underrepresented in STEM fields, including girls, students of color, and students from low-income communities. The NBA Math Hoops game features the real-life performance statistics and identities of all NBA and WNBA players, providing an exciting, culturally-relevant “hook” to engage students of all genders and ethnicities, and representing a highly diverse community of athletes in a data-rich learning environment. Through training and support, educators are equipped and empowered to implement the core program in school classrooms, out-of-school programs, or in the home learning environment. A series of community-based extracurricular program events help strengthen students’ understanding of connections between math and the real world and their awareness of STEM-related careers.
About Learn Fresh
Learn Fresh is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing innovative STEM learning experiences that empower educators and inspire students. Through community, play, and rigorous exploration, Learn Fresh programs leverage students’ passion for sports and entertainment to inspire their STEM and social-emotional learning. By bringing students’ genuine interests into the classroom, Learn Fresh programs foster a lifelong enthusiasm for learning.
For press inquiries regarding the 2023 NBA Math Hoops Global Championship, please contact Sumner Becker at sumner@learnfresh.org.
