If your kids love the Mavs and want to play basketball, DFW has excellent youth programs at every level.
Official Mavs programs:
- Mavs Academy — Skills clinics run by Mavericks-affiliated coaches. Ages 6-17. Held at various DFW locations. $75-150 per camp. Source: mavs.com/academy.
- Jr. Mavs — Youth league affiliated with the organization. Recreational and competitive divisions. Fall and spring seasons.
Club/competitive basketball:
- DFW Elite — One of the top AAU programs in Texas. Competitive travel basketball for serious players. Tryouts in April and August.
- Texas Titans — Another strong AAU program with DFW-area teams. Multiple age groups.
- NTBA (North Texas Basketball Association) — Recreational league with multiple locations. Good for beginners. $100-150 per season.
Community options:
- YMCA basketball leagues — Available at locations across DFW. Low cost ($50-100), recreational focus. Ages 4-18.
- City recreation leagues — Dallas, Fort Worth, Plano, Frisco, Arlington all have city-run basketball leagues. Contact your city parks and recreation department.
For serious development:
- ProSkills Basketball (multiple DFW locations) — Individual skill training. $50-80 per session.
- IMG Academy online training — Remote skills program. Access to professional-level drills.
The path to high school varsity: DFW high school basketball is extremely competitive. Schools like Richardson, Duncanville, IMG (for transfers), and Allen consistently produce Division I talent. Starting competitive basketball by age 10-12 is typical for players aiming for varsity.
Sources:
- mavs.com/academy — official programs
- DFW Elite and Texas Titans websites — AAU information
- YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas — youth programming