Who We are
KING Hoops is a sports-based youth development organization serving student-athletes across New York City. We develop great people first and great players second, using basketball to build confidence, character, and a path to college.
Representing all five boroughs, our athletes find more than a team. They find community, mentorship, and opportunities that last well beyond the final buzzer.
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Who we Are
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Our Story
KING Hoops is a sports-based youth development organization serving student-athletes across New York City. We believe that every young person deserves access to opportunity, positive mentors, and a community that believes in their potential. Through basketball, we help young people develop the confidence, character, and life skills needed to succeed both on and off the court.
KING Hoops is a sports-based youth development organization serving student-athletes across New York City. We believe that every young person deserves access to opportunity, positive mentors, and a community that believes in their potential. Through basketball, we help young people develop the confidence, character, and life skills needed to succeed both on and off the court.
With the goal of helping every player pursue higher education, KING Hoops focuses on the holistic development of each student-athlete - developing great people first and great basketball players second. In addition to practices, skill development, leagues, and travel tournaments, athletes participate in academic support, life skills workshops, college and career readiness programming, mentorship, and community engagement opportunities. Every aspect of our program is intentionally designed to prepare our players for success in college, their careers, and their communities.
With the goal of helping every player pursue higher education, KING Hoops focuses on the holistic development of each student-athlete - developing great people first and great basketball players second. In addition to practices, skill development, leagues, and travel tournaments, athletes participate in academic support, life skills workshops, college and career readiness programming, mentorship, and community engagement opportunities. Every aspect of our program is intentionally designed to prepare our players for success in college, their careers, and their communities.
With participants representing all five boroughs of New York City and a wide range of racial, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds, KING Hoops uses basketball to bring communities together. We believe basketball has the power to build lasting relationships, foster belonging, and create opportunities that extend well beyond the final buzzer.
With participants representing all five boroughs of New York City and a wide range of racial, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds, KING Hoops uses basketball to bring communities together. We believe basketball has the power to build lasting relationships, foster belonging, and create opportunities that extend well beyond the final buzzer.
Our History
2016
KING Hoops was founded as an AAU program under the community-based organization Kids in the Game (at the time branded as KING, hence the name KING Hoops!). With baby-blue jerseys and Coach Michael, Floyd and Paul at the helm, we began to build the KING Hoops of today.
2019
KING Hoops continues to grow on and off the court with sending our first full graduating class to college and officially launching our formal academic program through support of the Heisman Trophy Fund.
2021
Showed strength and resilience during the pandemic to come out stronger and joining the Under Armour Future circuit.
2023
With the support of Kids in the Game, KING Hoops branched away from the larger branded and launched as an independent 501c3 non-profit entity.
Current
Today, KING Hoops serves more than 150 student-athletes annually, provides over 200 hours of academic and life skills support, maintains a 100% high school graduation rate, and continues to develop great people first and great basketball players second.
Growth
Since its founding, KING Hoops has grown from a grassroots basketball program into a thriving sports-based youth development organization. What began as a vision to create opportunities through sport has evolved into a community that provides mentorship, academic support, life skills programming, and pathways to higher education.
As the organization has expanded, so has its impact. Through strong partnerships, dedicated volunteers, and a commitment to meeting the needs of young people, KING Hoops continues to grow while remaining focused on its mission of helping every student-athlete reach their full potential, both on and off the court.
Strategic Plan
“As KING Hoops continues to grow, our Strategic Plan serves as a roadmap for the future. Built around three strategic priorities, - Enhance, Scale, and Retain - the plan reflects our commitment to strengthening our programs, expanding our reach, and creating lasting opportunities.
Enhance: Elevate the quality of every athlete’s experience by investing in coaching excellence, academic support, mentorship, and program resources.
Scale: Expand our impact through strategic partnerships, sustainable funding, and thoughtful organizational growth that allows us to reach more young people.
Retain: Strengthen lifelong connections with our athletes, families, alumni, and supporters to build a community that continues to inspire and give back.
The Difference We Make
150+
Players served annually across Manhattan, Queens, the Bronx, Brooklyn, New Jersey, and Connecticut.
$400,000+
Total Scholarships Awarded Since 2018
15+
Kids sent to play college basketball in the 2024 and 2025 graduating classes alone.
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Holistic.
Community-Driven.
College-Bound.
People First, Athletes Second.
More Than a Basketball Program
375+
Student-athletes served through our Academic & Life-Skills Program since 2018.
In Their Words
Jaylen
King Hoops Player
“I just wanted to say thank you for everything and for being the outlet for the short amount of time I was playing for KING Hoops. This was the first basketball program that gave study hall and actually cared about the growth of the players. The coaches have given me a newfound courage in myself I thought I’d never have. My heart will forever stay with KING Hoops. The time y’all put into this program was not for no reason because me and the rest of the senior class will grow and we will give back to this program. Also personally thanks for taking care of me and my brother”
In Their Words
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Tommy
King Hoops Parent
My son’s growth has been remarkable, both on and off the court with KING Hoops. His dedication and passion for the game have flourished under your guidance, and he’s developed significantly as a player. More importantly, we’ve witnessed a positive evolution in his character. He’s learned valuable lessons about teamwork, leadership, and perseverance, skills that extend far beyond the basketball court. Perhaps most gratifying of all is the marked improvement in his academic performance. He’s consistently maintained a 90% average this year, a testament to his newfound discipline and focus. The positive influence of his KING Hoops experience has had a ripple effect across all aspects of his life
In Thier Words
Rowan
King Hoops Coach
Coaching with KING Hoops has shown me what it looks like to truly develop young athletes—not just as basketball players, but as leaders, teammates, and people. Every practice and tournament is built on integrity, growth, and the pursuit of excellence. The environment is competitive; we have fun, and we win. If you're looking to elevate your game and develop a winning mindset, KING Hoops is the place to be.
Our Team
Board of Directors
Tatum Boehnke (Board Chair)
Tatum previously worked at Kids in the Game and the Kids in the Foundation. Currently, she works in Development for Special Olympics New York and was the driving force behind launching KING Hoops as an independent non-profit. She was an NCAA Division I swimmer and coach before fully committing to Sports-Based Development work.
970-415-0752
Paul O’Connor
Paul currently works for ESPN in their Corporate Citizenship department. Paul previously worked directly with KING Hoops as our first ever Director, prior to relocating to Ohio. Paul has years of experience as a NCAA Division I basketball coach and in Sports-Based Youth Development.
203-685-6653
Alex Gamble
A former collegiate basketball player at the University of Rochester, Alex recently received his PHD in Sports Psychology from Rutgers and is currently working in the St. John’s Athletic department. He has previously coached for KING Hoops and continues to work directly with our student-athletes promoting positive mental health, healthy habits and mentoring through the college recruitment process.
301-802-4766
Owen Smith
Owen is a leader in the New York City hospitality business and former director and coach of KING Hoops. He brings a wealth of knowledge to the youth development and basketball space. He is a former college athlete and heavily connected to college coaches in the Northeast region.
585-750-2999
David Caruso
David is currently the Chief Operating Officer of United Entertainment Group. He previously volunteered as a coach for KING Hoops and continues to provide direct support to many of our alumni players.
917-202-6904
Stennett Smith
Stennett currently works in marketing and business development in the Corporate offices of Major League Baseball and has previously worked at ESPN. She has non-profit sports-based youth development experience working with a South American soccer organization Ubuntu that focuses on a holistic approach to sports by providing education, life skills and leadership opportunities.
662-808-7836
Chris Dende
Chris is a Managing Director and Co-Head of Wealth Planning at First Manhattan Co. working with individuals and families. He also helps lead the wealth planning solutions and initiatives across the firm overseeing $34B. Chris has a degree in Financial Economics from the University of Rochester where he was a Captain and All-Conference player for the Men’s basketball team.
570-877-4583
Matt Murphy (Board Observer)
Matt is the CEO of Kids in the Game which serves over 30,000 youth annually through school-based and community sports and fitness programs. He currently serves as a board observer for KING Hoops, supporting strategic growth and partnerships. Matt also attended the University of Rochester where he was a member of the Men’s basketball team.
231-838-7077
Program Director
Josh Horwitz
As Program Director, Josh reports directly to the KING Hoops Board of Directors and oversees all aspects of the program, coaching staff, and day-to-day operations of the organization.
Josh has experience coaching and working at the Collegiate, HS, and Youth basketball levels and represented Maccabi USA as the U18 Assistant Coach at the 2023 Maccabiah Pan American Games.
Coaching Staff
Floyd Morris
Jaylen Anderson
KC Carter
Mark Cook
Richard Anderson
Sam Johnson
Terron Lemons
