NEW YORK – The Jr. NBA and Verizon announced today the launch of a national youth basketball skills competition for boys and girls ages 9-14.  The Jr. NBA Skills Challenge presented by Verizon, which tips off today, will showcase the fundamentals of the game through a dribbling, shooting and rebounding skills competition.

Local competitions will run nationwide through May 1 and can be hosted by any organization registered for the Jr. NBA presented by Under Armour.  Youth basketball organizations can register for the Jr. NBA for free at www.JrNBA.com.

The Jr. NBA Skills Challenge is a 45-second competition that begins with zig-zag dribbling around cones followed by speed dribbling.  Participants will then have the remaining time to shoot from designated spots on the court, with made shots earning different point values based on their difficulty.  After the 45 seconds is complete, participants will shoot one free throw for bonus points.

A champion from each gender and age group (9-10, 11-12, and 13-14) from every local competition will advance to the regional competitions (May 8-June 5) held in Atlanta, Chicago, Connecticut, Houston, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C.

The top 18 regional competition champions (three winners from each age and gender group) will receive an all-expense paid trip to New York City to participate in the National Finals (June 22-24).  Finalists will also have the opportunity to attend the 2016 NBA Draft presented by State Farm at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.

For more information about the Jr. NBA Skills Challenge presented by Verizon, visit www.JrNBA.com/skillschallenge.

About the Jr. NBA presented by Under Armour
The Jr. NBA presented by Under Armour is the league’s youth basketball participation program that teaches the fundamental skills as well as the core values of the game at the grassroots level in an effort to help grow and improve the youth basketball experience for players, coaches and parents.  Through a network of affiliated youth basketball organizations, live events and interactive experiences, the Jr. NBA will reach five million youth ages 6-14 in the U.S. and Canada over a two-year period as part of its expanded efforts launched in October 2015.  The Jr. NBA partnership network is comprised of youth basketball programs of all NBA, WNBA and NBA Development League teams as well as elementary and middle schools, military installations and longstanding community partners, including Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Jewish Community Centers of North America, National Association of Police Athletic Leagues, National Recreation and Park Association, National Wheelchair Basketball Association, Special Olympics, and YMCA of the USA.

About Verizon Communications Inc.
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ) employs a diverse workforce of 177,700 and generated nearly $132 billion in 2015 revenues. Verizon operates America’s most reliable wireless network, with more than 112 million retail connections nationwide. Headquartered in New York, the company also provides communications and entertainment services over America’s most advanced fiber-optic network, and delivers integrated business solutions to customers worldwide.

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