Youth basketball players in Hyde Park, Oakley, and Mount Lookout can compete for free at the Queen City Slam 3x3 tournament on Saturday, August 8, at The Banks in downtown Cincinnati.

Any youth team with a Cincinnati zip code pays nothing to enter. That includes the 45208 and 45209 codes covering Hyde Park, Mount Lookout, and Oakley.

The City of Cincinnati announced the tournament's return on Friday, July 17, through its official accounts on X. The event runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Freedom Way between Marian Spencer Way and Race Street.

Registration details

Teams can sign up at hoopitup.com/cincinnati. Youth and adult divisions use separate registration forms. For questions, email [email protected].

Youth teams from outside Cincinnati zip codes pay $75. Adult teams pay $100. Pro Am rosters are capped at four players; all other rosters carry three to five.

About the tournament

The Queen City Slam is a partnership between the city, the Cincinnati Recreation Commission, and Hoop It Up, the 3x3 basketball tour founded in 1989 and now owned by NBA legend Kevin Garnett. The tournament features youth, adult, and Pro Am divisions.

The event debuted at City Hall in 2022 before moving to The Banks. The city has framed the tournament as part of its summer youth programming efforts, with a 2025 city notice describing it as providing "a positive outlet to combat teen violence in the Cincinnati region."

When Mayor Aftab Pureval announced the 2023 edition, he called it an opportunity to provide "fun, safe opportunities to come together in our public spaces."

In the event of inclement weather, the backup location has not been announced.

The deadline to register is Tuesday, August 4.