ABOUT SNEAKS SUMMER CLASSIC

Our purpose is to bring community & creatives together around the game of basketball.

Basketball is a beautiful vehicle that has the power to facilitate connection and positively influence lives across the world and in our communities. This was the genesis of the Sneaks Summer Classic. Two childhood friends looking to revive the basketball energy at the local rec center where they spent hours learning to play the game and connect with their communities.

...for all people, not only basketball players.

Since its inaugural event in 2018, the tournament has grown to showcase award-winning food + drink vendors, live entertainment, local sponsors, exclusive merch, and engaging activations, truly becoming a community event that is a summertime favorite for all people, not only basketball players. As the event evolves, the mission of the Sneaks Summer Classic is to continue bringing the highest level basketball players to San Diego with the deeper purpose of fostering community and bringing attention, energy, and support to local businesses and entrepreneurship.

Tournament Inquiries

Meet the Team

Sawsun Khodapanah

Sawsun is a founder of the Sneaks Summer Classic. Moving to La Jolla in the 6th grade, he spent hours at the La Jolla Rec Center. Sawsun is a UCSB and SDSU MBA alum. He is currently based out of San Diego and Minneapolis, working as the executive assistant of Timberwolves star Rudy Gobert. In his extracurricular time, Sawsun leads the Sneaks Summer Classic + Sneaks Clothing Brand and does his best to enjoy life and spend time with loved ones.

Pablo A. Fernandez

Pablo is a serial entrepreneur and community-building expert, he joined the team in 2023 as an advising partner. Pablo is largely involved with experiential curation, tournament partnerships, and sponsorships. He is also currently the CEO of his event production company, “Secret Table,” and an advisor to several other San Diego-based organizations.

FAQ’s

Team Application & Selection Process

To inquire about team registration, fill out the “Enter A Team” form on the Sneaks Summer Classic website. If our team determines that you and your team are a good fit to play in this year’s tournament we will reach out to you
While we would love to allow all interested teams and players to compete, high demand has forced us to be highly selective in our team selection process. That being said, not all applicants will be selected to compete, but we still encourage all interested competitors to reach out. Even if we are not able to accommodate you in the field of competitors this year, we still would love to see you at the event and invite you to enjoy the day with us.
The two main points of the selection criteria are 1) Basketball skill and competitiveness, and 2) Team character. We search for high-level basketball players who are also high character individuals that enrich the event and our community.
There are no restrictions on who is eligible to play in the tournament. Old, young, female, male, from San Diego, from Outside of San Diego, to anything outside or in between - if you can hoop, you can hoop - all people are welcome! That being said, the tournament does feature high level competition and applicants will be selected accordingly.