The Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence (CoE) – formerly National Intensive Training Centre Program (NITCP) and AIS Basketball Program has been the world-leading junior development program since 1981.
Dedicated to the development of future Boomers and Opals, the scholarship athletes are exposed to the country’s elite service providers and world-class facilities based at the AIS in Canberra.
The program takes a holistic approach to the development of elite international athletes and integrates education, basketball services, sports science and personal excellence into its daily training environment.
The centre also hosts the NBA’s Global Academy and the athletes in both programs formed a team that took part in the inaugural NBL1 season in 2019.
The Centre of Excellence’s record of athlete development speaks for itself. Its athlete catalogue includes all current Australian NBA stars Andrew Bogut, Patty Mills, Matthew Dellavedova, Joe Ingles, Aaron Baynes, Dante Exum and Cameron Bairstow.
The program also has uncovered WNBA and Opals superstars Lauren Jackson and Penny Taylor.
Overall, Australia has produced the 3rd highest amount of international stars in the NBA with 17, only behind Canada and Serbia, and have had 31 players play in the WNBA. All of these athletes, with the exception of 2, are a product of the Centre of Excellence.
