Key Takeaways
- The Luka Doncic Foundation partners with Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA to pilot a new coaching curriculum with 100 youth athletes during NBA All-Star 2026 in Los Angeles
- A spring 2026 grant program will support athletes ages 12-15 across all sports in 11 countries, addressing financial and logistical barriers to participation
- The Total Hoops Curriculum emphasizes mistake-friendly coaching and joy-centered play, piloting an alternative approach to youth basketball development
- Foundation CEO Lara Beth Seager says the initiatives aim to make youth sports “a joyful, enriching force in the lives of kids around the world”
Building a New Coaching Model Around Joy and Mistakes
The Luka Doncic Foundation is developing the Total Hoops Curriculum, a coaching framework designed to shift how youth basketball instruction is delivered. The curriculum centers on free play, embracing mistakes as learning opportunities, and prioritizing athlete enjoyment over competitive outcomes.
The foundation describes the approach as creating “a system of coaching that allows kids to play freely, embrace mistakes, and rediscover their love of the game.” Rather than focusing solely on skill advancement or winning, the model aims to make the court a place young athletes choose to return to.
Foundation CEO Lara Beth Seager explained the strategic intent behind the programming: “Each of these partnerships was carefully developed to move the Luka Doncic Foundation forward in pursuit of its mission to ensure youth sports are a joyful, enriching force in the lives of kids around the world.”
Testing the Model at NBA All-Star Weekend
The foundation will partner with the Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA to host a pilot clinic during NBA All-Star 2026 in Los Angeles. Coaches trained in the Total Hoops Approach will work with 100 youth athletes ages 9-15 from across the Los Angeles area.
The clinic serves as a testing ground for the curriculum’s core techniques. According to the foundation, the goal is to demonstrate what youth sports can provide beyond competition: friendship, confidence, and joy. The pilot will inform how the curriculum is refined and potentially scaled to other programs.
Expanding Access Through International Grant Program
The foundation plans to open applications in spring 2026 for a grant program supporting athletes ages 12-15 across all sports, not just basketball. The program will operate in 11 countries: United States, United Kingdom, China, France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Greece, Slovenia, Croatia, and Serbia.
Grants are designed to help young athletes overcome barriers to participation, whether financial, logistical, or resource-related. The foundation has not yet disclosed the grant amounts or total number of recipients.
Luka Doncic, who established the foundation in 2024, emphasized continuity in the organization’s approach. “I’m so proud of all of the work we’ve accomplished in the year since we’ve launched, and I can’t wait to see what else we can do together,” Doncic said. “If we can continue providing opportunities to young athletes, and making sports more accessible and fun, I’ll know we did something right.”
Looking Ahead
The foundation’s first-year initiatives signal a multi-pronged strategy: changing how coaches interact with young athletes, testing that model in a high-visibility setting, and removing barriers to entry for kids in multiple countries. The World Basketball Day announcement marks the foundation’s shift from formation to implementation, with measurable programs launching in 2026.
Whether the Total Hoops Curriculum gains traction beyond the pilot clinic will depend on coaching adoption rates and how effectively the model translates to different competitive environments. The grant program’s reach will be determined by funding scale and application volume across 11 countries.
via: Lakers Nation
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