New York, NY — In the heart of the Bronx, where the pavement tells stories of basketball legends and the air is thick with the spirit of competition, a new sound echoed through the rafters of the DREAM Academy gymnasium. It wasn’t the rhythmic thud of a dribble or the screech of sneakers on a defensive slide. Instead, it was the rapid-fire swish of nets and the metallic hum of “The Well”—the centerpiece of a sport that is quickly being dubbed “the pickleball of basketball.”

Wellball, the brainchild of former Division I standout and elite trainer Omar Wellington, officially made its mark on the borough recently. But this wasn’t just another basketball clinic. It was a high-octane, star-studded showcase that brought together NBA veterans like Lance Stephenson, Roger Mason Jr., and the legendary Stephon Marbury, alongside cultural icon DJ Clue and the vibrant student-athletes of DREAM.

The event served as a powerful proof of concept for Wellington’s vision: a sport where skill outshines size, and where the court truly belongs to everyone.

The Vision Behind the “Well”

he game utilizes a patented rebounding device—The Well—mounted to the rim. In this fast-paced format, there is no dribbling and no defense. Instead, the game relies on constant motion and teamwork: after a shot is taken, players must sprint to retrieve the ball as it comes through the device and immediately pass it back out to their teammates to set up the next attempt. This creates a relentless cycle of shooting, rebounding, and passing that keeps every participant in perpetual motion.

For Wellington, who spent years training NBA talent like Jalen Brunson, the sport was born out of a realization that shooting is the “great equalizer.”

“Having Wellball at DREAM was incredibly special,” Wellington remarked following the event. “DREAM represents exactly what this sport is about: opportunity, inclusion, and creating something that brings people together across backgrounds and generations.”

NBA Royalty in the Bronx

The atmosphere inside the gym was electric as students realized they weren’t just watching legends—they were competing with them. Stephon Marbury, a New York City god in his own right, moved with the same focus that fueled his “Starbury” era. Lance Stephenson, fresh off a Big 3 championship, brought his signature flair, while Roger Mason Jr., the former Deputy Executive Director of the NBA Players Association, demonstrated the textbook form that kept him in the league for a decade.

However, the “Born Ready” swagger of Stephenson and the “Starbury” intensity were channeled into a different kind of pressure. In Wellball, the clock is the primary enemy. Players must hit “ShotSpots,” earn “Moneyballs,” and nail “GameChanger” shots to rack up points for their teams.

Watching the pros engage with the students wasn’t just a PR stunt; it was a legitimate competition. Because Wellball removes the physical advantages of height and wingspan, a 14-year-old student with a consistent jumper could—and did—go head-to-head with a former NBA pro.

Breaking Barriers: A Co-Ed Revolution

Perhaps the most striking visual of the day was the lack of traditional boundaries. In most sports settings, boys and girls are segregated by the time they reach middle school. At the DREAM event, those lines were erased. Teams were fully integrated, with female student-athletes leading scoring runs alongside their male counterparts and the guest celebrities.

“Seeing the students step onto the court, compete, laugh, and truly connect with the game was powerful,” Wellington said. 

“What stood out most was how the boys and girls were fully intermixed on teams, competing together at the same level. That is the essence of Wellball. It is a sport built so everyone belongs on the same court, and watching that play out in real time at DREAM was unforgettable.”

This inclusivity is baked into the DNA of the sport. By removing the physical “banging” in the paint, Wellball creates a safe, high-intensity environment where a player’s value is determined by their accuracy and mental toughness.

Feature	Traditional Basketball	Wellball
Primary Skill	Physicality / Dribbling	Shooting Accuracy
Contact	High Contact	Non-Contact
Pace	Variable	Constant / Rapid Fire
Inclusivity	Height/Strength Dependent	Skill-Based / Co-Ed

The Partnership with DREAM

DREAM (formerly Harlem RBI) has long been a pillar of excellence in the New York City charter school system, known for its “whole child” approach to education and athletics. Choosing the Bronx campus for this event was a deliberate move by Wellington to ground the sport in community-first soil.

The collaboration was seamless. The DREAM staff worked alongside the Wellball team to ensure that every student, regardless of their prior basketball experience, felt empowered to pick up a ball and “let it fly.”

“DREAM as an organization was phenomenal to work with,” Wellington noted. “Their staff was welcoming, supportive, and genuinely invested in creating a great experience for their students and for Wellball. We are extremely grateful for their partnership and we are excited to continue working with DREAM as Wellball grows.”

DJ Clue and the Cultural Connection

You can’t have a New York City basketball event without the culture, and DJ Clue provided the heartbeat. As a figure who has bridged the gap between hip-hop and sports for decades, his presence underscored Wellball’s potential to become a lifestyle brand as much as a competitive league.

The “VIP League” model that Wellball is currently rolling out brings together the elite—celebrities, entertainers, and executives—with the grassroots community. At DREAM, that bridge was built in real-time. Students were high-fiving Lance Stephenson after a made GameChanger, and DJ Clue was cheering on a freshman girl as she hit three consecutive Moneyballs.

The Road Ahead: From the Bronx to the World

As the afternoon wound down and the final whistles blew, the exhaustion on the faces of the participants was matched only by their smiles. Despite the lack of running full-court transitions, the sheer volume of shots and the constant movement required by the game provided a rigorous cardiovascular workout—a “conditioning aspect” that Marbury has frequently praised when discussing the sport.

For Omar Wellington, the DREAM event wasn’t the finish line; it was the starting block. With plans to expand the Wellball VIP League and introduce the sport to physical education curriculums across the country, the success in the Bronx serves as a blueprint for what’s to come.

“This is exactly the type of community and collaboration we want at the heart of this sport as we expand it across the country and beyond,” Wellington concluded.

In a world where sports can often feel exclusive or out of reach, Wellball is proving that all you need is a hoop, a “Well,” and the courage to take your shot. Whether you’re a legend from Coney Island or a kid from the South Bronx, on the Wellball court, everyone has a chance to be the hero.