BRADENTON, Fla. — Eight of the most elite high school basketball teams across the country are coming together to form a new powerhouse league, and some Tampa Bay area athletes are getting in on the action.
IMG Academy is set to join the National Interscholastic Basketball Conference along with Oak Hill (Florida), Montverde (Florida), La Lumiere School (Indiana), Sunrise Christian Academy (Kansas), Wasatch Academy (Utah), and two other schools yet to be announced.
The eight teams will play a 10-game regular season set to begin later this year and will go on to play in special NIBC events and hold a postseason tournament.
The idea for the league sparked during the pandemic, when schools wanted to find competitive games for their basketball programs, according to ESPN. After hosting a successful NIBC Invitational, which took place in early January, EPSN says the schools wanted a find a way to keep the competition going.
The NIBC is the first of its kind in terms of national high school leagues. It will allow some of the country's top athletes to showcase their talent on a national stage--which is sure to draw the attention of college coaches and NBA scouts.
The six teams currently in the league have collectively won the past eight national championships, according to ESPN. Plus, the network says the 2021 NCAA tournament featured 44 players who played at NIBC member schools, while 24 alums currently play in the NBA.
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