Jalen Green

The Star Alliance – an elite European collective featuring top-tier prospects from Italy’s Stella Azzurra and Orange1 Bassano – has been officially selected to compete in the upcoming 2025-2026 Grind Session season. This marks the first time a European team has joined the prestigious winter circuit of elite high school basketball events.

In addition to playing a full slate of games from late November until early March, The Star Alliance will host a Grind Session event in Europe. An exact place and date has yet to be determined.

Former Grind Session star Jalen Green is on the move. In one of the most talked-about offseason trades, Green has been dealt from the Houston Rockets to the Phoenix Suns, signaling a fresh chapter in the career of one of the NBA’s most electric young scorers.

Green, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, has had flashes of brilliance during his time in Houston. Now, with a change of scenery and a new backcourt partner in Devin Booker, he’s poised to bring that same explosive energy to the Valley.

But before he made waves in the pros, Jalen Green was a household name in high school hoops, and his legend began right here—on the Grind Session.

The NBA Playoffs tipped off with intensity and excitement over the weekend, and several Grind Session alumni were front and center in the action. From breakout performances to tough losses and sideline decisions, former stars of the Grind Session showed the impact of elite high school preparation on the game’s biggest stage.

Banchero Shines in Loss to Celtics

Paulo Banchero, the former BFL Prep standout and 2021 Grind Session finalist, led the Orlando Magic with a monster performance in Game 1 of their first-round series against the reigning champion Boston Celtics. The second-year forward dropped 36 points and hauled in 11 rebounds Sunday afternoon at TD Garden, putting his elite scoring ability and physicality on full display. Despite his efforts, the Magic fell short, losing 103–86 after being outscored 30–18 in a pivotal third quarter.

The 2025 NBA Playoffs officially tipped off Tuesday night with a doubleheader in the SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament, and several Grind Session alumni were in the spotlight as their teams fought to keep their championship dreams alive.

Orlando Magic Dominate Hawks Behind Banchero and Carter Jr.

The first game of the night saw the Orlando Magic roll past the Atlanta Hawks 120-95 at the Kia Center in Orlando. The Magic’s duo of Paolo Banchero and Wendell Carter Jr., both Grind Session alumni, led the way in the convincing win.

The Grind Session, an elite winter circuit of high school basketball, brings together some of the best basketball talent from around the world. Running from November through March, the Grind Session hosts weekly events across the United States and Canada, featuring teams from three competitive conferences:

• Power Conference: The top 12 prep school teams in the USA.
• Revolution Conference: The premier women’s basketball programs.
• Evolution Conference: Teams fighting to break into the Power Conference next season.

Each event also invites local top teams to showcase their skills against Grind Session's elite competition.