GLOBL JAM 2025: The Blueprint for Showcasing Canada’s Future Stars

The Toronto summer is full of sports, events and entertainment, but there is one event that flys under the radar and I think everyone should know about it. This summer, Toronto once again became the proving ground for basketball’s brightest young stars as GLOBL JAM 2025 returned to the Mattamy Athletic Centre. From August 13–17, eight men’s and women’s Under-23 teams from around the world went head-to-head in 14 games.

Launched in 2022 by Canada Basketball and Sportsnet, GLOBL JAM was created to showcase the next generation of talent on an international stage while bringing world-class basketball to Canadian fans. The annual event has quickly grown into one of the premier Under-23 tournaments in the world, blending competitive play with a festival-like atmosphere. Past editions have featured rising stars who went on to the NBA and WNBA, solidifying the tournament as both a proving ground and a celebration of the sport’s future.

The 2025 edition featured national squads from Canada, Brazil, Japan, and Puerto Rico, alongside powerhouse U.S. college programs, the Georgetown Hoyas (men) and Texas Longhorns (women) representing the United States. The format was straightforward but unforgiving: round-robin play leading into medal games on Championship Sunday.

On the women’s side, Team Canada delivered on home soil, capturing gold with a gritty performance that showcased the depth of Canada’s next generation. For the men, Brazil emerged victorious, proving their program’s rise on the international stage with a statement run through the tournament.

But beyond the medals, GLOBL JAM has built a reputation as a launchpad for future stars. Past editions spotlighted names like Aaliyah Edwards, Yvonne Ejim, and Leonard Miller, and the 2025 tournament carried on that legacy, giving fans a first look at tomorrow’s NBA and WNBA standouts.

It was also a rare chance to celebrate Canadian talent on home soil. This year’s event connected the country’s basketball future with its present, welcoming stars like NBA champions Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Lu Dort, and turning GLOBL JAM into a full-circle celebration of Canadian basketball.

With international rivalries, passionate fans, and Toronto’s vibrant energy setting the stage, GLOBL JAM has cemented itself as more than a tournament. It’s a blueprint for how Canada can showcase emerging talent, giving fans access to future stars they might never otherwise see up close.

Imagine the same model replicated across other sports: hockey, lacrosse, baseball, even skiing. Tournaments that blend world-class competition with festival-like fan experiences could give Canadians a front-row seat to the next generation of global talent, right in their own backyard. That’s the real impact of GLOBL JAM. It’s not just building the future of basketball, it’s proving that Canada can be the stage where tomorrow’s stars are discovered, celebrated, and launched to the world.