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Global superstar LeBron James has scored more than 50,000 NBA points since his St. Vincent-St Mary high school team’s clash against Oak Hill Academy was nationally broadcast by ESPN on December 22, 2002.

James had 31 points, 13 rebounds and six assists in one of the first high school games nationally televised anywhere in the world.

On Sunday, May 10, 2026, ESPN on Disney+ will create its own slice of basketball history by streaming the boys' and girls' Rising Stars Australia Grand Finals in Melbourne.

“We are looking forward to streaming the boys and girls grand final games from the NBA Rising Stars Invitational Australia Qualifiers this Sunday on Disney+,” Executive Director, Sports Content & Acquisitions Patrick Bour told basketball.com.au.

“Youth basketball is booming in Australia, and this is a great showcase of some of the elite high school programs, and a great addition to our 'Home for Hoops' offering.

“Congratulations to all the teams selected to compete, and best of luck this weekend.

The Rising Stars Australia tournament has 30 games across three days at Melbourne’s State Basketball Centre from May 8 to 10, 2026.

Opening pool games begin Friday, boys quarter-finals and final pool matches headline Saturday, before semi-finals and Grand Finals decide the champions on Sunday.

All tournament games will be streamed on the Rising Stars Australia YouTube Channel starting on Friday.

Disney+ is $9.99 per month.

Rising Stars Australia Fixtures

Friday, May 8, 2026 – Pool Stage (Day 1)

• 9:30AM – Boys Pool A – St Joseph's College FTG vs St Patrick's College Ballarat (Court 1)
• 9:30AM – Boys Pool A – Berwick College vs Willetton Senior HS (Court 4)
• 10AM – Girls – Barker College vs Flinders College (Court 2)
• 11:30AM – Boys Pool B – Trinity College vs Rowville SC (Court 1)
• 11:30AM – Boys Pool B – Templestowe College vs Western Heights College (Court 4)
• 12PM – Girls – Rowville SC vs JSR Basketball (Court 2)
• 1:30PM – Boys Pool A – St Patrick's College Ballarat vs Berwick College (Court 1)
• 1:30PM – Boys Pool A – Willetton Senior HS vs St Joseph's College FTG (Court 4)
• 2PM – Girls – Marist Regional College vs Barker College (Court 2)
• 3:30PM – Boys Pool B – Rowville SC vs Templestowe College (Court 1)
• 3:30PM – Boys Pool B – Western Heights College vs Trinity College (Court 4)
• 4PM – Girls – Flinders College vs Rowville SC (Court 2)

Saturday, May 9, 2026 – Pool Finals & Boys Quarter-Finals

• 8AM – Girls – Barker College vs JSR Basketball (Court 1)
• 8AM – Girls – Marist Regional College vs Flinders College (Court 4)
• 8:30AM – Boys Pool B – Trinity College vs Templestowe College (Court 2)
• 10AM – Boys Pool A – St Joseph's College FTG vs Berwick College (Court 1)
• 10AM – Boys Pool B – Western Heights College vs Rowville SC (Court 4)
• 10:30AM – Boys Pool A – Willetton Senior HS vs St Patrick's College Ballarat (Court 2)
• 12PM – Girls – JSR Basketball vs Marist Regional College (Court 1)
• 12PM – Girls – Rowville SC vs Barker College (Court 4)
• 2PM – Boys Quarter-Final – 1st Pool A vs 4th Pool B (Court 1)
• 2PM – Boys Quarter-Final – 2nd Pool A vs 3rd Pool B (Court 2)
• 2PM – Boys Quarter-Final – 2nd Pool B vs 3rd Pool A (Court 3)
• 4PM – Boys Quarter-Final – 1st Pool B vs 4th Pool A (Court 4)

Sunday, May 10, 2026 – Finals Day

• 8AM – Girls – Flinders College vs JSR Basketball (Court 1)
• 8AM – Girls – Marist Regional College vs Rowville SC (Court 4)
• 10AM – Boys Semi-Final – Winner Game #21 vs Winner Game #23 (Court 1)
• 10AM – Boys Semi-Final – Winner Game #24 vs Winner Game #22 (Court 4)
• 12:30PM – Girls Grand Final – 1st vs 2nd (Court 1)
• 2:30PM – Boys Grand Final – Winner Game #27 vs Winner Game #28 (Court 1)

Some of the most famous American high school basketball games broadcast nationally include:

• LeBron James vs Oak Hill Academy (2002): ESPN televised LeBron’s showdown against the No. 1-ranked team in the country, one of the first nationally televised regular-season high school games ever. LeBron finished with 31 points, 13 rebounds and six assists.
• Bronny James and Ziaire Williams at Sierra Canyon School (2019–20): ESPN aired 15 Sierra Canyon games nationally due to the massive attention on Bronny James and the celebrity-loaded roster.
• OJ Mayo vs Oak Hill Academy (2006): drew more than 16,000 fans and major national coverage during Mayo’s rise as the top-ranked recruit in America.
• McDonald's All-American Boys Game: annually televised on ESPN since the early 2000s, featuring future NBA stars such as LeBron James, Chris Paul, Kevin Durant and Zion Williamson.
• Montverde Academy vs IMG Academy and other GEICO Nationals matchups: nationally televised on ESPN platforms featuring elite prospects including Cade Cunningham, Scottie Barnes and Cooper Flagg.
• Hoophall Classic: annual ESPN-broadcast showcase event featuring top-ranked schools and future NBA lottery picks.

LeBron’s 2002 game against Oak Hill is widely considered the moment nationally televised high school basketball became mainstream in America.

Australia hasn’t really had a true equivalent to the American nationally televised high school basketball phenomenon — at least not at the scale of LeBron James at St. Vincent–St. Mary or modern ESPN showcases.

But there are a few important Australian examples and emerging moments:

• The 2026 NBA Rising Stars Invitational Australia Qualifiers: Arguably the closest Australia has come to a nationally packaged high school basketball event, with the Grand Finals streamed live on ESPN via Disney+ and all games streamed online.
• The Australian Schools Championships have been streamed nationally by KommunityTV, but haven’t historically received mainstream broadcast attention comparable to ESPN's high school coverage in the US.
• Elite NSW GPS/AAGPS basketball rivalries – especially schools like St Joseph's College, Hunters Hill, Newington College and The King's School – have drawn large in-person crowds and online streams, but not national TV broadcasts.