I have personally grown up playing basketball from organized school games to pick up games. When I wasn't playing basketball for an organized team I used to go to sports and wellness near my house and grab a team of my friends to play there. The level of competition there was significantly better than the teams I would play. There was no age limit to pick up, meaning there could be 8th graders playing against juniors and seniors in highschool and maybe even college. These games did not just test your skill and make you better as a player they also helped you grow on a social aspect. I have met many people that I have played with or against.