NBL-US Expands Its National Footprint With a Historic Eight-City Conference Spanning Connecticut and New York, Bringing Premier Development Basketball to the Northeast
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 8, 2026 Houston, Texas
HOUSTON, TX — The National Basketball League – United States (NBL-US) today made a landmark announcement that will reshape the landscape of unsigned player development basketball on the East Coast. The league officially unveils the establishment of the Northeast Premier Circuit — a fully structured, eight-city conference spanning the states of Connecticut and New York — set to compete in the 2026–2027 NBL-US season, beginning November 7, 2026.
This historic expansion marks the most significant geographical growth in the NBL-US’s continued mission to become the premier national infrastructure for unsigned basketball talent in the United States. With eight franchise cities now anchored across two of the most culturally and athletically rich states in the nation, the Northeast Premier Circuit is poised to become one of the most competitive and talent-dense conferences in the entire league.
ABOUT THE NATIONAL BASKETBALL LEAGUE – UNITED STATES (NBL-US)
The National Basketball League – United States stands as the #1 exposure league for unsigned players in the United States, purpose-designed to serve athletes between the ages of 17 and 23 who are actively pursuing collegiate or professional basketball careers. The NBL-US functions simultaneously as both a college developmentand professional development league — a dual-purpose platform that sets it apart from every other unsigned player organization in America.
Operating across a 32-game regular season with a season window stretching from November 7th, 2026 through March 21st, 2027, the NBL-US provides athletes with the game volume, the infrastructure, and the exposure necessary to take the next step at the collegiate or professional level — domestically or internationally.
The NBL-US delivers a comprehensive development ecosystem that includes:
- 🏀 20-Game Regular Season plus Playoffs — Professional-level game volume
- 📹 Full Game Video Tape — Every game recorded for player film libraries and recruiting outreach
- 📺 Live Stream Games — All games broadcasted for national and international scout visibility
- 📊 Full 16-Category Statistical Tracking — Detailed individual player performance analytics
- 🎬 Highlight Video After Every Game — Player-specific highlight packages distributed for recruiting and agency outreach
- 🌍 International Opportunities — Active pathways to overseas professional leagues and FIBA-affiliated clubs
- 🎓 Path to College Program — Structured outreach and exposure to college programs at all levels
- 💼 Path to the Pros Program — The only dedicated professional pathway program of its kind in the United States
- 📋 FIBA Rules Gameplay — Preparing players to compete at the global standard
- 🪪 FIBA Licensed Agent Access — Direct connectivity to licensed representation professionals
- 💲 Low Cost Entry & Payment Plans Available — Accessible to athletes from all socioeconomic backgrounds
- 🌐 College Recruitment Exposure — Across the United States, Canada, Europe, the Caribbean, Asia, and Africa
INTRODUCING THE NORTHEAST PREMIER CIRCUIT
The Northeast Premier Circuit will be comprised of eight franchise cities across two divisions — the Connecticut Division and the New York Division — forming one of the most geographically cohesive and competitively balanced conferences in the NBL-US.
CONNECTICUT DIVISION
The Connecticut Division will feature four cities representing some of the most historically significant and basketball-passionate communities across the Constitution State:
- 🏙️ New Haven, Connecticut
- 🏙️ Hartford, Connecticut
- 🏙️ Stamford, Connecticut
- 🏙️ Hamden, Connecticut
Connecticut has long been a breeding ground for elite basketball talent at the high school and collegiate levels, producing athletes who have gone on to compete at the Division I level and professionally both domestically and abroad. The Connecticut Division of the Northeast Premier Circuit will tap directly into that rich tradition of basketball excellence, providing the state’s unsigned talent with the most structured, high-exposure development platform available.
NEW YORK DIVISION
The New York Division will feature four cities spanning the breadth of Upstate New York, representing a region historically underserved by elite development basketball infrastructure despite its deep reservoir of unsigned talent:
- 🏙️ Syracuse, New York
- 🏙️ Canandaigua, New York
- 🏙️ Rochester, New York
- 🏙️ LeRoy, New York
Upstate New York — anchored by the iconic basketball city of Syracuse and extending through the Finger Lakes region and the Western New York corridor — is home to an enormous population of skilled, determined, and unsigned basketball players who have historically lacked a clear, credible pathway to the next level. The New York Division of the Northeast Premier Circuit changes that reality immediately and permanently.
THE NORTHEAST PREMIER CIRCUIT: MISSION & VISION
The Northeast Premier Circuit is being built with a singular, non-negotiable focus: identifying, developing, and showcasing the top 80 unsigned basketball players ages 18–23 across the Connecticut and New York regionfor opportunities at the collegiate and professional level.
Every roster spot across the eight franchises of the Northeast Premier Circuit will be earned through merit and evaluated against the highest standard of talent evaluation. The circuit will bring together the finest unsigned players from both states, uniting them in a competitive environment that demands professional-level preparation, execution, and accountability every single game.
The Northeast Premier Circuit is specifically designed for athletes who are:
- Unsigned and actively seeking a college roster spot — at the Division I, Division II, Division III, NAIA, or junior college level
- Pursuing domestic professional basketball — in leagues operating across the United States
- Targeting international professional opportunities — with clubs and academies in Europe, Asia, the Caribbean, Africa, Canada, and beyond
- Between the ages of 18 and 23 — and committed to a professional standard of development and competition
The circuit’s eight-city structure ensures that scouts, college coaches, FIBA-licensed agents, and international club representatives will have consistent, high-volume access to a curated pool of the region’s finest unsigned talent — all within a professionally managed, statistically documented, and fully filmed competition environment.
Commissioner Lillian Countee of the National Basketball League – United States issued the following statement regarding the formation of the Northeast Premier Circuit:
“I could not be more excited about this moment. The formation of the Northeast Premier Circuit is something we have been building toward with great intention, and to finally be able to make this announcement — to look at those eight cities and know what is about to happen there — is a feeling that is difficult to put into words.
Connecticut and New York are two of the most basketball-rich states in this entire country. The talent that exists in those communities, in those gyms, on those playgrounds — it is absolutely elite. What has been missing is not the talent. What has been missing is the infrastructure. What has been missing is the platform, the professionalism, the organization, and the credibility to take that talent and put it directly in front of the people who can change a young man’s life — a college coach, a professional scout, a FIBA agent, an international club director. That is exactly what the NBL-US provides, and that is exactly what the Northeast Premier Circuit is going to deliver.
When I think about a player in New Haven, or a young man in Rochester, or an athlete in Stamford who has the ability to play college basketball or compete professionally — but who right now has no clear path, no visible platform, no way to be seen at the level they deserve — that is who we built this for. That is who the Northeast Premier Circuit is for. We are coming to the Northeast, and we are coming with everything.
Eight cities. Two states. Eighty of the best unsigned players in the region. That is the Northeast Premier Circuit, and I fully expect this conference to become one of the most celebrated, most watched, and most productive pipelines for talent in the entire NBL-US. The Northeast has waited long enough. Starting November 7th, the wait is over.
I challenge every unsigned player between 18 and 23 years old in Connecticut and New York to ask themselves one question: What are you waiting for? Your opportunity is here.”
THE OPPORTUNITY FOR UNSIGNED PLAYERS
The NBL-US and the Northeast Premier Circuit are formally calling on unsigned basketball players ages 18–23 throughout Connecticut and New York — and the broader Northeast region — to seize this opportunity.
If you have the skill, the drive, and the aspiration to play college basketball or pursue a professional career domestically or internationally, the Northeast Premier Circuit is your platform. The NBL-US will put your game on film, your statistics on record, your highlights in front of scouts, and your career on a trajectory that has real destination.
The top 80 unsigned players across the circuit’s eight cities will be selected through a rigorous evaluation process. Roster spots will be limited. Competition for placement will be fierce. And that is exactly the point — because the next level demands exactly that.
The 2026–2027 NBL-US season begins November 7, 2026.
UPCOMING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Additional details for the Northeast Premier Circuit franchises will be released in the coming weeks, including:
- 🏋️ Head Coaches — Coaching staff announcements for all eight circuit franchises
- 📅 Tryout Dates & Locations — Open evaluation events across Connecticut and New York
- 🗓️ Official 2026–2027 Game Schedule — Full 20-game season schedule and conference matchup format
- 🏆 Playoff Structure — Postseason format and championship details
FOR MORE INFORMATION
For all information regarding the Northeast Premier Circuit, franchise updates, player registration interest, tryout announcements, and the full NBL-US 2026–2027 season calendar, visit the official NBL-United States website:
Follow the NBL-United States on all official social media platforms for real-time announcements, player spotlights, franchise news, and circuit updates.
The National Basketball League – United States is the #1 Exposure League for Unsigned Players in the United States, serving athletes ages 17–23 through a professional 20-game College and Professional Development season. For more information, visit www.usnbl.com.
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Media Contact: National Basketball League – United States 🌐 www.usnbl.com
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