Our challenge

Nike Basketball set out to elevate its presence at NBA All Star Weekend 2025 by introducing The Future Game, a groundbreaking activation designed to showcase the next generation of basketball talent while immersing young athletes, influencers, and fans in the brand’s vision for the sport’s future. Taking place at the Henry J Kaiser Convention Center in Oakland, The Future Game was crafted to be the most competitive, most pure, and most energized basketball experience of All Star Weekend. The challenge was to seamlessly integrate elite competition, innovation, and cultural impact into a multi day event that engaged Nike’s most passionate basketball consumers, The Hooper and The Culture Challenger.

Our strategy

The “Future Game” created a high-energy, next-generation basketball experience that blended elite competition, athlete & product connection, a bespoke retail experience, and innovation into one seamless event.

The Arena featured top-tier matchups, including EYBL Scholastic, Prep Showcases, and high school rivalry games with rising NBA and WNBA talent.

The Black Label Mentality turned the court into a high-intensity spotlight battleground, ensuring complete focus on the players.

The Lab72 Innovation Space gave athletes access to Nike’s training, recovery, and product development, combining performance with mentorship.

The Retail Experience introduced The Collection, an exclusive space featuring Nike’s most advanced basketball gear and hidden product innovations.

More than just a competition, The Future Game became a platform for the next generation of basketball stars.

Our outcome

The Future Game became a defining moment of NBA All-Star Weekend, blending elite competition, cultural storytelling, and next-generation innovation. Over three days, the event brought together 3,000+ attendees, including top high school teams, Nike executives, and influencers, to experience the future of basketball firsthand.

Key Highlights:

16 elite high school teams competed, featuring 216 players and 98 coaches

34 athletes participated in the exclusive 24/8 Mamba Challenge, honoring Kobe’s legacy

The Lab72 Innovation Space engaged athletes with Nike’s performance specialists and designers

From the high-stakes matchups to the immersive athlete journey, The Future Game set a new standard for youth basketball competition, reinforcing Nike’s role in shaping the next era of the sport.