Basketball camps are available in almost every state in the United States and can help kids improve their skills on and off the court. These sports camps teach young basketball players teamwork skills, how to think on their feet and provide all the benefits of rigorous physical activity.
Basketball camps can also help players stay sharp in the off-season and ready to go when it’s game time. Here is our list of the top basketball camps in the USA. Most programs are hosted on beautiful campuses and are led by experienced coaches.
They can help anyone become a better player and understand all aspects of the game with physical and mental preparation as well as a strong focus on developing technical skills.
Pocono Invitational
Pocono Invitational has been hosting basketball summer camps for over 62 years now. The alum list is over 100,000 and includes some of the greatest coaches and players who have ever laced up and hit the court.
Situated on over 30 acres in the Pocono Mountains with 11 courts to choose from, this camp is a basketball athlete’s dream. The best and the brightest athletes come here to train with some of the most talented coaches from around the country in a one-of-a-kind environment of fierce competition.
Camps are hosted over the summer, including long weekends and week-long sessions that have the feeling of a traditional summer camp environment, complete with outdoor activities to utilize the stunning surroundings. There are options for boys and girls, and they’ll show marked improvement in ball-handling, shooting, and on-court IQ.
Campers can attend a day camp or a full residential session that includes a chance to make new friends and visit a nearby waterpark between practices.
Academy Camps
Academy Camps emphasizes skill development through its one and two-week intensive basketball sessions. Children ages 10 to 16 in grades 5th through 10th are welcome to join and put in the work to seriously improve their game.
The camp director for their basketball programs is Nadir Samih, who’s currently the assistant coach for the University of St. Joseph’s Women’s Basketball Team. He previously played collegiate basketball as a Point Guard at Mercy College and is now dedicated to leading basketball clinics and camps.
These are sessions intended for student-athletes who want to take their game to the next level through serious practice and study both on and off the court. A typical day involves two sessions with daily competition and scrimmages to top it off. Plus there is also performance training and wellness programming. Campers also participate in adventure and social events.
There are also electives to choose from and strategically placed recovery and free periods to relax with friends. All meals and snacks are included and players will enjoy campus-style living in the idyllic countryside of northern Connecticut.
Academy Camps also hosts camps for tennis, lacrosse, and soccer with the same focus on producing noticeable improvement in one- and two-weeks. They’re all hosted at the Suffield Academy, convenient for kids from all over the northeast but also welcoming those from all over the country.
Hoop Camp
Hoop Camp is Maine’s premier summer basketball camp in Casco, conveniently just outside Portland. Boys and girls between grades 4-12 have been attending for over 50 years, gaining valuable skills on the court and establishing lifelong friendships.
They offer traditional sleepaway camps with six different sessions. Each camp session is 5 days and 4 nights of basketball-centered activities including drills on the court, individual player evaluations, tournaments and contests, offensive and defensive clinics, and talks with experienced players are included.
In addition to the intensive basketball training on the court, kids will have the chance to let loose and enjoy the great outdoors. The Hoop Camp property boasts access to Pleasant Lake where they can enjoy swimming, kayaking, and splash basketball to combine the best of both worlds.
In true summer camp fashion, kids bunk together in cabins and enjoy their meals with one another. Scholarships are available on a first-come, first-served basis to allow all children the chance to attend a camp and improve themselves as athletes and people.
Coach Wootten Basketball Camps
Since 1961, Coach Wootten has been teaching the core basketball fundamentals to young boys and girls through his programs. Over 200,000 campers have spent time learning the sport here and taking that excellence to their home court.
The camp was founded by none other than Morgan Wootten, one of the most celebrated high school basketball coaches in the history of the game. The same man who amassed over 1,300 career victories and an 87% winning percentage put together a world-class program to help children ages 7-18 improve their skills.
Parents will find day camps for kids who want to spend their days practicing and go home every evening for rest and recovery. Campers who want to experience something closer to a traditional camp experience can opt for a week-long overnight stay. These sessions include all meals and snacks, accommodations, and extra activities outside of practice and game times.
Everything is hosted on the campus of Frostburg State University in Frostburg, Maryland. This provides campers with the benefits of a college-level set of courts and facilities as well as the beauty of the surrounding countryside.
Purdue Basketball Camps
Purdue Basketball Camps bring the Boilermaker tradition of excellence to student-athletes of all grades between 1st and 12th. This is a chance for children to practice and play in a top-tier college facility in the Mackey Complex on the Purdue campus in beautiful West Lafayette, Indiana.
The days are packed with basketball fundamentals meant to teach shooting, ball-handling, and passing in a friendly yet competitive environment. Every day includes an hour of open shooting and a morning and afternoon practice session, with lunch provided.
The youngest campers between grades 1-2 will enjoy half-day sessions from nine to noon with parents welcome to stay and watch them play and train.
For those visiting from out of town or state, there are discounted accommodations available. Check out the website for further details and to take advantage of these specials.
As a bonus, they will get the chance to meet the head coach of the Purdue basketball team, Matt Painter. The same coach and staff that helped to develop this camp have made Purdue a household name every year when March Madness begins.
Kenny Smith Carolina Basketball Camp
Kenny Smith is perhaps best known for his on-screen antics as a basketball commentator and ex-NBA veteran, but he is also involved in the coaching business thanks to his Carolina Basketball Camp. Honoring his roots as a North Carolina Tar Heel, Kenny brings his dedication and passion for the sport to all children ages 8-18.
The mission here is to produce better athletes through a combination of lessons focused on establishing the basics and then working on more advanced techniques. Campers learn ball handling, post moves, rebounding, court spacing, defensive keys, and team offense.
The camps for boys and girls include three full days of basketball from 7:30 am to 4:00 pm daily. Overnight camp is available to all kids eight and above and features the same basketball-filled days with a sleepover element.
All residential campers will enjoy three meals a day and plenty of things to do during their downtime between practices and games. Athletes will get to stay on the UNC South Campus in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
Brooklyn Basketball
Brooklyn Basketball offers the thrill of NBA basketball to children 6-14 throughout New York. The camp is sponsored by the Brooklyn Nets and provides the same coaching and expertise to all attendees.
It operates Monday to Thursday from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm separating campers based on age groups. Each day consists of a morning meeting, dynamic warmups, skill development, individual competitions, and league games. The structured days allow all players to build upon the last day’s successes and improve exponentially as players in just a few short days.
Attending can help young athletes improve themselves on the court through various skill exercises and competitions. Perhaps just as importantly, they’ll learn to develop a strong character and operate effectively as part of a team.
The facilities used to host Brooklyn Basketball Camp are meant to inspire young athletes to want to pursue their dreams, not only in the sport but as people. They’ll practice and compete on courts fit for professionals with all of the motivation a large venue provides.
Colby College Basketball Camps
Colby College offers basketball camps to students in grades 5-12 at their state-of-the-art new facility in Waterville, Maine. Their programs focus on the following areas: shooting, passing, ball-handling, post-play, teamwork, as well as individual and team defensive concepts.
Campers receive individual and team instruction from coaches who have decades of combined experience at the high school and collegiate levels. This will help campers develop valuable skills on the court and a wide range of benefits the sport provides. Young players can become better communicators and develop the potential to lead thanks to their teachings and the work they put in with their teammates.
If your kid isn’t quite ready for the overnight experience, there is also a day camp option available in one-week blocks. In addition to lessons about how to improve their skills, campers will enjoy a glimpse of the college lifestyle with dormitory-style housing and use of the spacious indoor pool during their stay at Colby College.
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