For over 20 years, ABCD Camp stood as one of the most prestigious proving grounds in grassroots basketball. Founded by grassroots basketball icon Sonny Vaccaro, the camp has served as a launching pad for countless future NBA stars, with alumni including Kobe Bryant, Tracy McGrady, LeBron James, Dwight Howard, Derrick Rose, Carmelo Anthony, Shaquille O’Neal,Jason Kidd,James Harden, Penny Hardaway, Sebastian Telfair, Lamar Odom, Gilbert Arenas, Stephon Marbury, and countless others who first made their names under the ABCD spotlight.
After a 20-year hiatus, with the blessing of Sonny Vaccaro and under the direction of Tracy McGrady, adidas once again brought together many of the nation’s most promising high school prospects under one roof. While adidas served as the presenting brand, the camp remained true to its roots by welcoming elite players regardless of shoe affiliation. Over three days, participants competed through drills, skill development, educational sessions, and tournament-style games, culminating with a championship game on Saturday evening to crown the camp’s top team.
Throughout the weekend, one message remained at the forefront: honor the legacy built by Sonny Vaccaro while preparing the next generation for everything that comes after basketball.
More Than Basketball
ABCD Camp has always been about much more than evaluating talent. In fact, A-B-C-D is an acronym for Academic Betterment and Career Development, and the holistic on- and off-court programming put together by adidas reflected that mission at every turn.
Players spent time in breakout sessions focused on NIL, media training and financial literacy, with Morgan Stanley helping educate campers on managing success beyond the court. The off-court panels and discussions featured current and former professionals including Utah Jazz guard Darryn Peterson, Philadelphia 76ers guard VJ Edgecombe, Brooklyn Nets guard Mikel Brown, Jr., Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady, and former No. 1 high school prospect Lenny Cooke, each sharing lessons from their own journeys.
Campers also visited the EXOS performance facility in Phoenix, where they received instruction on health, recovery and athletic performance before returning to the floor for skill work and live competition.
Leading the basketball instruction was renowned NBA skills trainer Phil Beckner, who kept players engaged throughout the weekend with high-level teaching with an emphasis on
attention to detail. Beckner also shared personal stories from his upbringing and reminded campers that success comes through discipline, consistency and belief in yourself. His focus throughout the weekend centered on doing justice to Sonny Vaccaro’s vision – a responsibility he embraced from the opening whistle to the closing ceremony.
Players were also coached by current and former NBA players and coaches throughout the weekend, creating an environment unlike any other on the grassroots calendar.
NBA Stars Giving Back
The camp welcomed an impressive collection of NBA talent and basketball figures throughout the weekend.
Current NBA players Mikel Brown Jr. (Brooklyn Nets), VJ Edgecombe (Philadelphia 76ers), Jeremiah Fears (New Orleans Pelicans), Karim Lopez (Memphis Grizzlies), Evan Mobley (Cleveland Cavaliers), Keegan Murray (Sacramento Kings), Collin Murray-Boyles (Toronto Raptors), Darryn Peterson (Utah Jazz), Jabari Smith, Jr. (Houston Rockets), and Cody Williams (Utah Jazz) came through to pour into the next generation. They were joined by former NBA
players Tracy McGrady, Austin Rivers, Jerry Stackhouse, Jason Terry, Marcus Williams, and Julyan Stone, who spent time instructing players and sharing advice both on and off the court.
For many campers, learning directly from players who once stood in their same shoes served as one of the weekend’s biggest highlights.
Former NBA player Austin Rivers and ESPN Analyst Chiney Ogwumike leading a breakout session on Friday afternoon
A Championship-Worthy Finish
The tournament portion of camp delivered plenty of drama before the championship matchup was even set.
Four teams finished pool play tied for second in the standings, forcing a unique one-on-one tiebreaker to determine the finalists. Micah Gordon defeated Darius Wabbington, while DeMarcus Henry knocked off Moussa Kamissoko before besting Gordon in a hard-fought final showdown to send the “Cavaliers” into the championship game.
Waiting for them were the undefeated “Nets.” The Nets wasted little time asserting themselves.
Behind exceptional ball movement, disciplined execution and balanced scoring, the Nets raced out to a stunning 14-0 lead before the Cavs finally got on the scoreboard. Rather than relying on isolation basketball, Coach Rex Kalamian’s group consistently ran organized sets, moved the ball from side to side and trusted one another throughout the contest.
Jalen Davis controlled the game from the opening possession, scoring when needed while orchestrating the offense with poise beyond his years. Blaze Johnson provided another scoring punch, and Lewis Uvwo wreaked havoc on defense, while the Nets received contributions throughout the lineup as they completed an undefeated run through camp to capture the ABCD championship.
Davis finished with 14 points, eight rebounds, two assists and two steals to earn Finals MVP honors after setting the tone during the Nets’ dominant opening run.
Coach Kalamian capped an outstanding weekend by guiding the Nets to the championship after being named ‘Coach of the Day’ twice during the three-day event.
Camp Awards
The awards ceremony celebrated the top performers from the weekend before Sonny Vaccaro personally addressed every camper.
Camp MVP: Lewis Uvwo
Finals MVP: Jalen Davis
Defensive Award: Mason Grivna
Rising Stars
- RJ Evans
- Pierre Rondo
First Team
- Blaze Johnson
- Moussa Kamissoko
- Kevin Savage III
- Darius Wabbington
- Juleeyan Williams
Following the ceremony, Sonny Vaccaro and Tracy McGrady presented signed books for every player, which included personalized messages inside each copy, before taking photos with campers and their families.
Camp MVP: Lewis Uvwo
Few players impacted winning like Lewis Uvwo.
The athletic big man anchored the championship team while averaging 10.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.7 blocks and 1.7 assists per game. His rim protection completely altered games, while his communication, rebounding and relentless motor consistently energized teammates. Whether sprinting the floor for lobs, cleaning up misses or protecting the basket, Uvwo showcased the type of winning traits every coach covets.
Finals MVP: Jalen Davis
No player dictated the championship game quite like Jalen Davis.
His ability to score efficiently while simultaneously organizing his team’s offense fueled the game’s decisive 14-0 opening run. Davis finished with 14 points, eight rebounds, two assists and two steals while also leading the entire camp with a whopping 4.0 steals per game. His instincts, versatility and feel allowed him to seamlessly become whatever his team needed in every game.
Defensive Award: Mason Grivna
Grivna established himself as the premier rim protector at camp, averaging an event-best 4.3 blocks per contest. Beyond the shot blocking, he consistently stayed in position, recovered after contact and kept altered shots in play to ignite transition opportunities for his team. He also contributed 9.7 points and 4.7 rebounds per outing, while embracing all the little details that make winning big men so valuable.
Rising Stars
RJ Evans continued the momentum from his impressive summer by averaging 16.3 points and 4.3 rebounds per contest. Fearless as both a scorer and creator, Evans repeatedly found ways to punish defenders both in transition and in the halfcourt. The rising sophomore appears primed for a standout sophomore season.
At just 14 years old, Pierre Rondo proved he belonged against older competition. The son of two-time NBA champion Rajon Rondo displayed advanced poise as a true floor general, expertly running pick-and-rolls, creating easy baskets for teammates, knocking down shots from multiple levels, and making every player around him better. His maturity and feel for the game especially stood out throughout the event.
The two young standouts went at it in a memorable head-to-head matchup on night one, with Evans (23 points on 10-15 shooting) and the Grizzlies getting the 64-61 win over Rondo (13 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists) and the Pelicans, which got the crowd buzzing and set the tone for an amazing weekend.
First Team All-ABCD Camp
Blaze Johnson
Johnson emerged as one of the camp’s most complete offensive players, averaging 15.3 points,
4.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game while posting outstanding 44/53/100 shooting splits. The smooth southpaw thrived playing alongside Jalen Davis, showcasing his ability to score at all three levels. His versatility was a major reason behind the Nets’ success.
Moussa Kamissoko
One of the most infectious personalities at camp, Kamissoko backed up his energy with elite production. He averaged a well-rounded 15.0 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game, all while defending multiple positions, attacking the glass, making timely passes, and embracing every role asked of him. His two-way impact helped elevate everyone around him.
Kevin Savage III
Known primarily as a scorer entering camp, Savage displayed another dimension to his game by leading the event with 5.7 assists per game. He consistently collapsed defenses by getting into the paint, keeping defenders guessing whether he would finish himself or create easy looks for teammates. Savage added 14.3 points and 2.3 steals per game, and proved to be one of the toughest guards in attendance.
Darius Wabbington
Wabbington once again demonstrated why he’s one of the nation’s most unique frontcourt prospects. Averaging 14.0 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game, the skilled forward dictated tempo, initiated offense and stretched opposing defenses with his versatility. Equally impressive was the defensive growth he displayed, as he switched onto guards, protected the rim and impacted possessions in ways that don’t appear in the box score.
Juleeyan Williams
Williams continued his breakout summer by averaging 16.3 points and 4.7 rebounds per game, while establishing himself as one of the camp’s most dangerous shot-makers. Once he found a rhythm, few defenders could slow him down as he punished even the smallest defensive mistakes with explosive scoring runs.
Sonny’s Closing Message
As camp concluded, Sonny Vaccaro gathered every player together for one final message.
“If there’s anything you remember from me,” he told the campers, “let it be to have faith and belief in yourself.”
He continued, “You can overcome basketball and any other challenges in life to go from where you are now to that [pointing toward Tracy McGrady].”
Sonny reminded the players that basketball is only one part of life’s journey and that belief can carry them through any obstacle.
It was a fitting conclusion to another memorable ABCD Camp – one that celebrated elite competition, lifelong relationships and the enduring legacy of a camp that continues to shape the future of basketball, one generation at a time.
