If you're going to follow the masses this summer on the AAU boys basketball circuit, go ahead and pack your bags for Florida.
The Sunshine State is home to eight of the 10 biggest AAU boys basketball tournaments in the country--seven of them at the Disney Wide World of Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. That's because the AAU and Disney entered into a 30-year partnership back in 1994, and AAU moved its headquarters to Lake Buena Vista soon after.
How does the complex hold up to 164 basketball teams for one four-day tournament? Lots of courts. The complex has the 70,000-square foot Milk Arena as well as the Jostens Center, which has 44,800-square feet of court space. Add to it the tourist attractions in the Orlando area for people of all ages and the national AAU headquarters nearby, and it's easy to see why the Disney Wide World of Sports Complex is at the top of the list for AAU basketball tournaments. In all, 28 AAU boys and girls tournaments are played at the venue throughout the year.
So what tournaments bring in the most teams? For boys basketball events run by the AAU, these 10 tournaments are bigger than all of them. Keep in mind that these don't include tournaments like the now-defunct Reebok Summer Championships in Las Vegas, which had 224 participating teams in 2009 but was not associated with the AAU.
Jr. Boys Division I National Championship
Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
AAU's largest national championship is a 164-team extravaganza at the AAU's most-used tournament venue. The week-long event features three games in pool play before splitting off into the championship bracket or Classic Tournament.
17U Super Showcase
Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
The annual tournament in Lake Buena Vista plays host to 164 teams. The tournament is invitation-only and is a chance for coveted college prospects to show their stuff to well-known Division I college coaches known to attend.
16U/10th Grade Division I (147 teams)
Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
The 147-team 16U event overlaps the Jr. Boys tournaments, making the Disney complex a hectic place in late July.
14U/8th Grade Division I (126 teams)
Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
The 126-team tournament anchors the mid-July action at the Wide World of Sports Complex and takes place in the midst of the ESPN Rise Games.
13U/7th Grade National Championship
Memphis, Tenn.
Played in a hotbed of basketball talent, the 13U national championship takes place at 14 different venues across Memphis and invites 112 teams. This tournament is one of the first national championships of the year for AAU boys.
14U/8th Grade Division II
Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
The Division II tournament runs concurrent with the 14U Division I tournament and features 104 more teams.
12U/6th Grade Division I National Championship
Hampton, Va.
All 100 teams in the 12U national championship play at the massive Boo Williams SportsPlex, a 135,000-square foot facility that has eight basketball courts. Williams, a Hampton native, is well-known nationwide as an ambassador for youth basketball.
16U Super Showcase
Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
Like the tournament for the older players, the 16U Super Showcase is a four-day event in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. This one features 100 invitation-only teams and is meant to showcase their talents for college coaches.
17U/JR Boys' Division II
Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
The Division II side of the Junior Boys National Championship features 77 teams and is played concurrent with the Division I tourney. Combined with Division I, more than 240 17U teams have a shot at one of two national titles during the last week of July.
11U/5th Grade Division I
Cocoa Beach, Fla.
The 72-team tournament is one of the highlights of the summer in Cocoa Beach, a quaint town on Florida's Atlantic coast.
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