The NXTPRO Circuit

The NXTPRO Circuit is a comprehensive series of events that culminates in the crowning of a national championship in the 17U, 16U, and 15U age divisions.

*There is also a 13U and 14U league.

The circuit is broken into two leagues, the PRO16 League and the NXT League. The PRO16 League are sponsored teams and the NXT league are teams working toward earning a sponsorship. These leagues offer multiple sessions throughout the spring and summer where teams compete against each other to establish a ranking within their respective leagues. These sessions occur on both non-live and NCAA live periods, bringing in hundreds of college coaches to watch, evaluate, and recruit players to their college programs.

Shoe Leagues

There are two main differences between the NXT League and the other three shoe circuits’ second leagues. First, the NXT League games are held inside the same venue as the PRO16 League games. This makes it easy for college coaches to watch both the PRO16 and NXT teams without having to leave the building.

Second, NXT teams often get the opportunity to play against PRO16 teams during the season. These are where NXT teams get the chance to prove that they belong in the PRO16 League. Other shoe leagues do not offer their second tier leagues this opportunity.

At the end of the regular season, teams in each league are ranked according to the NXTPRO algorithm based on wins/ losses, strength of schedule, and point differential. Based on these rankings, teams advance to a designated national tournament. Basically, teams will earn their position in the tournament. Nothing is given.

The NXTPRO National Championships

In July during the NCAA Live Period, the PRO16 League runs its national championship tournament. This tournament begins with pool play and then teams advance to bracket play. This is a unique format as the top 16 NXT League teams are invited to compete in this same tournament! No other shoe league offers this opportunity.

At the end of July, the NXT League hosts is own national championship, inviting the top 150 NXT teams to compete. The winners of this tournament are automatically moved up to the PRO16 League the following year and receive a sponsorship. This is the opportunity that teams have been waiting for.

The PRO16 League and Teams

The PRO16 League is made up of the top teams in the NXTPRO Circuit and receive league sponsorship. With Select, the PRO16 teams are our top 17U, 16U, and 15U men’s teams and are sponsored by Puma. These teams may also play in additional tournaments but are required to play in a set amount of NXTPRO events. Players that tryout for Select but do not make a PRO16 team may still have the opportunity to play on one of our NXT teams. We typically have 12-15 NXT teams.

The NXT League and Teams

The NXT League is the next tier on the NXTPRO Circuit. These teams are fighting for the opportunity to move up to the PRO16 League and earn respect amongst the NXTPRO Circuit. They benefit by playing in the same facilities as the PRO16 teams and often get the chance to compete against PRO16 teams.

Our goal for our NXT teams is to provide a first class, value packed experience for the players. This includes more opportunities to be seen by college coaches and a chance to compete against the appropriate level of competition. Ideally, each year we will have at least one NXT team qualify for the PRO16 National Championship at the 17U, 16U, and 15U level.

Upcoming Tryouts – 2025

• February 23rd, Orlando FL

What’s a shoe league?

Simply put, these are specific leagues that invite specific teams to participate in their events. These teams are sponsored by the league with cash and apparel. 

There are four shoe leagues currently in operation: The EYBL (Nike), 3SSB (Adidas), UA Association (Under Armour), and PRO16 (Puma). Each of these leagues feature the top players in the country and compete in a national schedule. Each league attracts college coaches from every level. Our PRO16 team regularly has 100-200 college coaches watch their games during the live periods. 

Each of these shoe leagues offer sub-leagues that run events in conjunction with their main events. The sub-leagues are comparable to the best run independent tournaments such as Bigfoot Hoops, the Northwest Premier Invitational, and The Hoop Group. 

Just like the independent tournaments, the sub-leagues do not sponsor teams or provide apparel. This is often a misconception as some teams imply they are affiliated with the top league and receive sponsorship.​