Arizona Hoop Code couldn't have ended its New Balance era much better.

In 2026, Hoop Code captured New Balance P32 championships at both the 16U and 17U levels, establishing itself as one of the strongest programs on the circuit.

Then came the surprise.

After winning those championships, Hoop Code announced it would leave the New Balance P32 circuit and join Select Events Basketball's Power 24 beginning in 2027.

Shortly afterward came another announcement: Nike.

That sequence makes Hoop Code's move much more interesting than simply another grassroots program changing circuits.

2026: New Balance P32. Championships. Departure.
2027: Power 24. Nike branding.

And it may offer a glimpse into where the business of girls grassroots basketball is headed.

The interesting part isn't that Nike suddenly has another sponsored program. It's where that Nike-branded program will be playing.

Hoop Code isn't moving to Nike EYBL.

It's moving to Power 24.

And that's where this story gets bigger.

Power 24 has increasingly become a meeting ground for elite programs with different apparel affiliations. Adidas, Under Armour, New Balance and independent programs can all have visibility within the broader Select Events ecosystem.

Nike, however, has traditionally had its most visible grassroots presence concentrated around EYBL.

Hoop Code potentially gives the Swoosh something different in 2027: a high-level Nike-branded presence inside one of the country's strongest independent girls basketball environments.

That doesn't mean Nike is abandoning or weakening EYBL. Far from it. EYBL remains Nike's flagship grassroots platform.

It suggests something potentially more strategic:

Nike doesn't need every Nike-sponsored program to play EYBL.

A strong organization wearing Nike while competing on Power 24 still puts Nike uniforms, shoes and apparel in front of players, families, college coaches, cameras and social-media audiences throughout the live periods.

That is valuable visibility.

And if Hoop Code isn't an isolated case, it could create an interesting second lane for Nike in girls basketball, EYBL programs inside Nike's own ecosystem and selected Nike-sponsored programs representing the brand outside of it.

That's the angle I would build the entire article around. The key distinction is that the championships and New Balance participation happened in 2026; Power 24 begins for Hoop Code in 2027.