South East Melbourne Phoenix Reaches 30,000 Students via Kmart Gametime

The South East Melbourne Phoenix has reached a significant community milestone, with more than 10,000 Victorian school students participating in the club’s Kmart Gametime clinics during the most recent school term.

The program, a collaborative initiative between the National Basketball League (NBL), Kmart, and the Phoenix, has now engaged over 30,000 children across the past two years, solidifying the club’s position as a grassroots leader in Australia’s fastest-growing participation sport.

The 2026 iteration of the program saw the Phoenix visit 52 schools, delivering high-energy sessions focused on basketball fundamentals, teamwork, and healthy lifestyles.

Beyond the drills, the program’s unique value proposition lies in the direct interaction between professional NBL athletes and primary school students, fostering long-term brand loyalty in the “Heartland” of Australian basketball.

Emphasising that while the participation numbers are impressive, the strategic focus remains on deep-rooted community connection, Phoenix Academy director and community programs coordinator, Nick Smith, said: “It’s a feather in the cap to deliver this program to more than 30,000 kids over the last two years, but what we’re most proud of is how we are engaging the community,” Smith said.

Social Media Virality and Fan Engagement

The clinics captured national attention this month following a viral moment involving Phoenix forward Akech Aliir. During a session at Templeton Primary School, Aliir delivered a powerful dunk on the outdoor rings that caused the entire support pole to shift, sparking a frenetic reaction from the hundreds of students in attendance.

The footage of the dunk has since generated more than one million views across the club’s social media platforms.

For the Phoenix, this “money can’t buy” digital engagement serves as a powerful marketing tool, transitioning a local community activation into a global content moment that highlights the athleticism and accessibility of the NBL.

The Kmart Gametime partnership represents a key commercial pillar for the Phoenix, allowing the club to:

• Expand the Fanbase: Introducing the Phoenix brand to a diverse demographic of young families across South East Melbourne.
• Support Partner Objectives: Delivering tangible community ROI for Kmart and the NBL through large-scale, face-to-face activations.
• Talent Pathway Integration: Using the clinics as a primary touchpoint for the Phoenix Academy, identifying budding talent for the club’s elite junior programs.

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