They don’t call it Mecca for nothing. New York City has always been the heartbeat of hoops. Culture, feet, fashion. Everything connects to the game, no matter what neighborhood you’re in. With all eyes on the city that just brought home its first WNBA Championship, the ACES Hustle & Heart Classic is here to take it to the next level.
At the forefront of hoops and youth athletic development, ACES has evolved into a platform that impacts every aspect of the game, from the grassroots to the pros. The numbers speak for themselves. More than 30 NBA and WNBA players and 100 Division 1 hoopers have all made buckets in the Classic. But this weekend is for the kids who dream of getting there.
For its third annual installment, the Hustle & Heart Classic brings together the nation’s top high schoolers on the national stage. Kian Anthony, Kaden and Dylan Mingo and Warren Keel lead the boys’ showcase, while the girls’ showcase features both Mya and Mia Poldo of the NJ Crusaders and Jordyn Jackson leading the DC Crimson Warriors.
Preseason action is just the start of the high school basketball season, but the Hustle & Heart Classic provides the nation’s top prospects with a diverse array of activations that bridge the worlds of sports, entertainment and corporate.
“ACES was born from the roots of basketball, winning its way to cultural prominence by empowering athletes to tell their stories, bridging the corporate with culture while uniting local communities through our annual events,” said Founder and CEO Brian Kortovich. “AECS consistently attracts the nation’s top high school players to New York and gives them the opportunity to showcase their talents on a national level, organically share their stories and expand their opportunities.”
ACES will host a media day for all four teams on Friday, Oct. 25, with a focus group featuring NBPA executives, followed by the Girls and Boys National Showcase at Elmcor Gym in Queens on Saturday, Oct. 26 : The Girls’ National Showcase will begin at 5 p.m. pm with the NJ Crusaders taking on the DC Crimson Warriors. The Boys National Showcase is followed by the star-studded Long Island Crusaders vs. Putnam Science Mustangs at 7 p.m.
If you can’t make it out to the games, you can follow all the action this year on the NBA app as the official streaming partner of the 2024 ACES Heart & Hustle Classic.
Portraits by ACES.
