Where It All Started
Founded in 1968, International Small Fry Basketball provides an opportunity for children to excel in the game of basketball. The program is developmental, yet extremely competitive with an opportunity to meet new friends and compete on the international level at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World® Resort.

Small Fry Basketball began with a group of dedicated youth leaders in Chicago Heights, Ill. The organization hosted its first International Tournament in 1969 in Chicago Heights. Although many of the original franchises were based in the Midwest, Small Fry quickly branched east to New York, west to Lincoln, Neb. and south to Seminole, Fla. Outside of the Continental United States, Small Fry has always been strong in Puerto Rico and has had participants from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic and Bermuda as well.

Do Qualifications Differ from Regular Basketball
The game is for shorter athletes. Players may be no taller than 5-foot-1 and may not be older than 12 as of Sept. 1 the year immediately prior to the competition season (January through Easter). A smaller-than-regulation basketball is used and rims are eight feet, six inches from the ground. Some areas also offer “rookie” programs with a smaller height limit and younger age limit.

International Tournament in Orlando, Fl
Following official measure-in that occurs in the same time frame for all teams (early to mid-February), qualifying tournaments are held in each region. Teams are allotted based on the total number of franchises from each team. Twenty-four teams annually will advance to a chance for bids in the International Tournament.


ESPN MAGAZINE (Excerpt from March 21, 2011 Issue)
“ Rose owes Chicago for making him the player he is: short on flash, long on dash. Credit Robert Lueder, John Cifelli, Giulio Narcisi and Charles Panici. In fact, they just might be responsible for every Chi-Town point guard — Isiah Thomas and Tim Hardaway included — who has made his mark on the NBA in the past few decades. That’s because in 1968 those four men met south of the city in Chicago Heights and founded Small Fry , a basketball league limited to preteen kids 5-foot-1 or shorter. The program has since gone nationwide, but its roots remain strongest locally. The result: a constant supply of small, quick guards.




Our coaches have years of experience from being former Small fry players to former professional players. Current and former NBA players have all played Small fry basketball and have learned valuable lessons because of the experience. (From March 21, 2011"Style Report" of ESPN The Magazine...

"(Derrick) Rose owes Chicago for making him the player he is: short on flash, long on dash. Credit Robert Lueder, John Cifelli, Giulio Narcisi and Charles Panici. In fact, they just might be responsible for every Chi-Town point guard -- Isiah Thomas and Tim Hardaway included -- who has made his mark on the NBA in the past few decades. That's because in 1968 those four men met south of the city in Chicago Heights and founded Small Fry, a basketball league limited to preteen kids 5-foot-1 or shorter. The program has since gone nationwide, but its roots remain strongest locally. The result: a constant supply of small, quick guards."

“Current NBA standouts Jose Juan Barea (Torrimar, Northeastern) with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Will Bynum (West Pullman Runners, Georgia Tech) with the Detroit Pistons got their starts in Small Fry Basketball, along with former NBA Stars Chris Quinn (Highwood), Nick Van Exel (Kenosha, Wis.), Kenny Anderson (New York), Charley Scott (New York), Craig Hodges and Lloyd Walton.”

“More recent success stories include Small Fry alums leading their colleges to the NCAA Final Four. Dee Brown (Washington Jaguars) helped lead Illinois to the 2005 NCAA title game and Sean Dockery (West Pullman Runners) sparked Duke to the 2004 Final Four, as well as ACC Tournament titles in 2005 and 2006. The Windy City has produced several eventual stars, including Bynum (currently playing in Israel), who led Georgia Tech to the NCAA title game, and the Runners' Cordell Henry, who sparked Whitney Young to the state title and Marquette to a Sweet 16. West Pullman Express product Earl Brown played in Switzerland and Ahmad Starks (And 1, state title at Whitney Young) now plays at Oregon State.”