Future Stars is enormously proud to introduce an incredibly strong like up in our traditional U18 category and introduce a brand new U16 age group for the 2026 International tourament. In both age categories due to their formidable reputation the main focus will be on ex Euroleague powerhouse, Alba Berlin. The German giant boasts numerous appearances in the prestigious Adidas Next Generation tournament and have created a true conveyer belt of elite talent regularly delivering players to the NBA and Euroleague. Facing the German powerhouse in both age categories we will be London United and the England National teams.
In the U18 category we also have the pleasure to host Get Better Academy from Czechia returning after an impressive showing last year in addition to 5 Elite Academy, Ireland, while in the U16 category we will have the debutante Pardaugava Academy from Latvia.
Steve Bucknall, Head of Talent and Performance at Basketball England was very excited when he stated :”We are delighted that England will once again compete in the Future Stars Basketball Tournament. The event provides our young players with valuable exposure to high-quality international competition and supports their development within the England Talent Pathway. We look forward to testing ourselves against strong opposition and contributing to another successful tournament.”
Future Stars 2026 will take place 28th – 30th August at Brunel University. In keeping with our traditional format, the event will feature a National Coaching Clinic on the Saturday of the Future Stars weekend. The Head Coach of Croatia, Veljko Mršić will be a key speaker at the Future Stars coaching clinic
Coach Mršić playing career which culminated in winning bronze medals at Eurobasket 1993 and 1995, World Championship in 1994 and representing Croatia in the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta was absolutely in the middle of the Goldean Era of Croatian basketball. It is not a big surprise that while having such an illustrious career at the national level, he also represented the biggest European powerhouses on the club level as well. Coach Mršić played for such massive clubs like Olympiacos, Malaga, Zalgiris, Girona, Varese and Milano.
After his playing days, Veljko Mršić has forged an equally successful coaching career boasting winning four National Championships and four National Cups in Croatia while coaching Zadar, Cedevita, Split and Cibona. In addition to coaching in his native Croatia he also coached in the Spanish ACB where he worked with Rio Breogan and Bilbao Basket and Italy where he successfully overlooked the progress of Varese. Between 2020-2022 Coach Mršić was held the Head Coach position of the Croatian National Team and since 2025 as the Head Coach of Dinamo Sassari.
For more information on the Future Stars National Coaching Clinic delivered in partnership with Basketball England click here.
Full event schedule to be released soon.
