Both Noemie Bariteau and Kaden Holdbrook grew up hooping. Bariteau and Holdbrook bring a genuine passion for basketball that they will undoubtedly share with everyone at UPBasketball in their new roles as Player Development Interns. Both of them have thrived in their careers and bring a great deal of knowledge and wisdom to guide the next generation of Bay Area hoopers.

“Dads can look forward to getting to share their passion and love for hoops with their child or children. To have a moment where they get to really bond over something they or their athlete loves and get to show them I’m invested because you are,” Turner said. “Hopefully everyone learns something new and has a fun time doing it, breaking a little sweat!”

The WNBA season is fully underway and has already had so many memorable moments. Women’s basketball has seen a major uptick in popularity amongst basketball fans worldwide, and the WNBA is seeing the direct impact of this interest early in the new season. 19,103 fans came out to Crypto.com Arena to watch the duel of the top 2 picks in the 2024 draft, Cailyn Clark and Cameron Brink, and viewership of WNBA games on television have reached all time highs. Household names like A’Ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart continue to dominate the game and their impact in the popularity of the game cannot be understated. In fact, some of the WNBA’s brightest stars like Sabrina Ionescu, Haley Jones, Aliyah Boston, Chelsea Gray and Kelsey Plum all have ties to UPB and have been killing it in the young 2024 season.

Both Veronica Barrot and Dylan Pegarido have been hooping for as long as they can remember. Barrot and Pegarido bring high energy and love for the game of basketball with them to the facility as they seek to make an impact on the next generation of Bay Area hoopers. They both come from impressive basketball backgrounds and will undoubtedly spread their knowledge and passion for hoops with the UPB community.

“It's special to see, the way [the pre draft process with Coach Packie] is done more intimately. I felt very fortunate and grateful to be a part of it this year on a day by day basis. The pre-draft process is not rocket science, but obviously, there's nuance to it, and it's fun and I really enjoyed doing it in Santa Barbara,” Winshall said.

“The foundations of basketball need to be taught at every level. Whether I am teaching young [athletes] or collegiate division one level players it all builds upon itself,” Smith said. “So, I've definitely used a lot of what I've learned [at UPB] here at Santa Clara when I'm on the court, working out our players.”

Sports and basketball, in particular, have been formative to who I am today. As both an athlete and a fan, sports have given me the most priceless memories and taught me the most valuable lessons. Whether it be playing a casual game of pick up with my friend or watching my very first Golden State Warriors game at Oracle Arena during the “We Believe” era, I have developed a strong passion and love for sports that I seek to share with everyone I encounter.

“During the whole weekend, I would just pause for a second and have a moment of gratitude. I used to play with [Plum] and she really challenged me as a player and really helped me a lot, so now being able to be around her as she does kind of the same thing for current student-athletes was just super cool to see,” Johnson said.

The NBA regular season has come to an end and the playoffs have begun. The league's biggest stars will take center stage in hopes of hoisting the Larry O’brien trophy and fulfilling their championship dreams. With the Play In tournament wrapping up this week and first round matchups starting next week, we are excited to see how the playoffs shake out and which stars will perform for their teams.

“What I love about UPB is that they have so many different classes. From the time when [Aiden] couldn't even pick up a ball or dribble to where he is now, they have classes and options for kids at all different levels of experience,” Torrent said

With summer just around the corner, we are excited to announce our upcoming summer camps! Each camp will feature a different focus for young hoopers to expand their knowledge of the game while also honing their physical in game skills. The fourth camp this summer is a 5th-9th Grade Camp that will take place from July 29th to August 1st.

With summer just around the corner, we are excited to announce our upcoming summer camps! Each camp will feature a different focus for young hoopers to expand their knowledge of the game while also honing their physical in game skills. The third camp this summer is a third through seventh grade camp that will take place from July 22th to July 18th.

“Keeping it fun, making it to where little kids can start to enjoy being on the court is the number one thing. Planting those seeds early by making the experience fun, while they're also learning and seeing themselves improving fuels their passion,” Lui said. “That's where Little Hoopers comes in because the kids are very impressionable and providing them a great space and a safe space for them to learn and have fun will lead to them being becoming more passionate [about the game.]”

“I think young girls watching this [tournament] gives them that platform to dream big and see how it's possible and that these women were once young girls like they were and they all had a dream and all worked towards something,” Johnson said.

With summer just around the corner, we are excited to announce our upcoming summer camps! Each camp will feature a different focus for young hoopers to expand their knowledge of the game while also honing their physical in game skills. The second camp this summer is a third through seventh grade camp that will take place from July 15th to July 18th.

One of the most exciting events in all of basketball is right around the corner. This year’s NCAA March Madness Tournament kicks off on Thursday, March 21st with the first round of 64. After an exciting college basketball season, we are looking forward to the Cinderella stories, upsets, nail biters, and all the excitement that this year’s tournament has in store. We are also looking forward to watching college players define their legacy and realize their potential as hoopers as every tournament players from around the country become household names. This week we caught up with UPB’s player development coaches and picked their brain on what they are looking forward to most and also their keys to success when filling out their brackets.

With summer just around the corner, we are excited to announce our upcoming summer camps! Each camp will feature a different focus for young hoopers to expand their knowledge of the game while also honing their physical in game skills. The summer camps will kick off with a first through fifth grade camp from June 24th to June 27th.

Parents play a vital role in the development of an athlete’s skill set and the love they have for a game. Whether it’s shooting hoops in the front yard or debriefing after a game, parents can leave a lasting imprint on how passionate their athlete is about hoops by simply getting involved. There are countless stories of parents and moms, in particular, at all levels of basketball paving the path and bringing out the best in their athletes. It is with this spirit in mind, that UPB is excited to host the Mom’s Basketball Clinic with the Women’s Coaching Alliance on Sunday, March 24th from 4pm-5:30pm.

The power of basketball is priceless. The sport’s impact is felt in all facets of life whether it be teaching athletes skills on and off the court or bringing families closer together through both watching and playing the game. The latter is especially true for the Buecker family and their athletes: Ferdi, Lorenz, Konsti, and Theo. As long-time members of the UPB community, the Buecker family’s love and passion for the game has grown as their athlete’s basketball journeys are just beginning.

Allen has embraced being a part of the UPB community and admires the welcoming environment UPB fosters from coaches to players to parents and families. As a Player Development Coach, he strives to spread his love for the game and make a positive impact on the athletes he trains with by fostering a fun and joyful playing environment. To Allen, having fun while playing the game and developing a love and passion for the sport is integral to elevating one’s skill set.