With the beginning of the season right around the corner, you can’t make it from one class to another without hearing something about Neighborhood Club Basketball. From December to February, The Neighborhood Club (NC) offers high school students the chance to keep playing basketball with their friends, without the worry of sitting on the bench all game after a long week of practice.
Aidan Wass ’26, a former South basketball player, and 2025 NC champion with the Kings, is happy that NC gives him a guaranteed chance to play the sport he loves without as much pressure.
“It was just playing time for me,” Wass said. “Knowing that I am going to get to play a lot, and not just the players that the coaches have deemed ‘good’ is awesome.”
Unlike other recreational sports leagues, such as Little League, NC basketball allows students to assemble their own teams, coached by other students, including Jack Leonard ’27, who plans on coaching the Cavaliers this year, a team mostly made up of juniors.
“Building your own team is really nice,” Leonard said. “And you can benefit off of the players’ skill sets and promise them playing time.”
A limitation of NC basketball is that there are nowhere near as many fans as a high school game, but the teams are constantly posting across their Instagram pages. One of the most popular Instagram pages was of the Lakers, run by Evan Bernard ’25.
“The social media of NC basketball was easily the biggest factor in growing its popularity,” Bernard said. “Every team has their own account where they just flex wins and poke fun at other teams, and it is honestly what made NC so much fun.”
All of the Instagram smack talk fuels rivalries between teams, and keeps the energy and competitiveness high all season long.
“The intensity is definitely up there,” Leonard said. “When the games are close, it’s just as intense as a South game.”
The beauty of NC is its versatility; the ability to have that competitive factor, while also allowing the players to enjoy their Friday and Saturday nights without having to worry too much about a game in the morning.
“I love how laid back NC can be,” Wass said. “People walking in two minutes before the game starts isn’t uncommon.”
So whether you are a player, a fan, a hardcore hooper or just someone looking to have a good time with friends, Neighborhood Club basketball has it all.
“Everyone should know how much fun NC is,” Bernard said. “It’s a great way to make friends and get some exercise.”
