The FIBA Intercontinental Cup in Singapore reached another milestone with its first-ever pro-am game on Saturday, giving the local basketball community a chance to share the stage with international players, officials and ambassadors of the sport. The 40-minute exhibition, played at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, featured a diverse lineup that blended youth, professionals and public figures.

Eight young players from schools and academies joined the action alongside Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth David Neo, FIBA ambassadors Pero Antic and Ronny Turiaf, and national cagers Chase Tan, Mohamed Zahid, Ariel Loiter and Lim Jia Min. They were also joined by local artistes Allan Wu and Calvert Tay, as well as representatives from Sport Singapore, FIBA and Kallang Alive Sport Management.

Community spirit shines through pro-am showcase

The game was contested over two 20-minute halves with rolling substitutions, creating a lively mix of competition and camaraderie. Lim’s team secured a 46-43 win over Tan’s side, delighting fans before the day’s scheduled Intercontinental Cup group stage games. Six international clubs are part of this year’s competition, including defending champions Unicaja from Spain, NBA G League United, Alahli SC of Libya, Utsunomiya Brex of Japan, Flamengo of Brazil and Illawarra Hawks of Australia.

Turiaf said he relished the chance to connect with the Singapore basketball community. “It is always a lot of fun getting to know new people through basketball, and I’ve really enjoyed participating in this pro-am game,” he said. “It is activities like this that show us how global events like the FIBA Intercontinental Cup can unite communities through sport.”

Singapore strengthens its role as basketball hub

Local officials emphasized how the tournament has boosted both skills development and community engagement since Singapore became the first Asian host in 2023. Yazed Osman, group head at Kallang Alive Sport Management, noted that curated programming has helped uplift aspiring talents and promote inclusion.

For players, the opportunity carried special meaning. “It’s a real honour to be part of the pro-am match and share the court with some of the legends of the game,” Lim said. “Opportunities like this don’t come often, and it’s an incredible experience to learn and be inspired.”

The pro-am game followed two landmark years that drew more than 40,000 fans to the Singapore Sports Hub, which has staged both the FIBA Hall of Fame induction and free opening-day community access. The 2025 edition concludes on Sept. 21, continuing a tradition of combining elite basketball with opportunities for fans to engage directly with the sport.