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By Dugout Philippines
NEW YORK–The National Basketball Association (NBA) and the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) today announced the top 67 boys and girls from 32 countries and territories who will travel to New Orleans for the third annual Basketball without Borders (BWB) Global Camp. The camp will be held Feb. 18-20 (Philippine Time) at the New Orleans Pelicans’ practice facility as part of NBA All-Star 2017, and Nike will serve as the official partner.
NBA and FIBA players and coaches, including Cheick Diallo (New Orleans Pelicans; Mali), Wayne Ellington (Miami Heat; U.S.), Justin Holiday (New York Knicks; U.S.), Meyers Leonard (Portland Trail Blazers; U.S.), Thon Maker (Milwaukee Bucks; South Sudan; BWB Americas 2015/BWB Global 2016) and Emmanuel Mudiay (Denver Nuggets; Democratic Republic of the Congo), will coach the top high school age campers from Africa, the Americas, Asia and Europe. Diallo, Ellington, Holiday, Leonard, Maker and Mudiay will be joined by former NBA player Adonal Foyle (St. Vincent and the Grenadines), former WNBA players Rushia Brown (U.S.), Ebony Hoffman (U.S.) and Ruth Riley (U.S.), as well as select players from the BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge.
The NBA and FIBA hosted the inaugural BWB Global Camp at NBA All-Star 2015 in New York City, beginning an annual All-Star tradition. BWB, the NBA and FIBA’s global basketball development and community outreach program, has reached 2,690 participants from 133 countries and territories since 2001, with 43 campers drafted into the NBA. Twenty-three former BWB campers were on opening-night rosters for the 2016-17 season, including Dragan Bender (Phoenix Suns; Croatia; BWB Global 2015), Maker and Jamal Murray (Denver Nuggets; Canada; BWB Global 2015).
“The Basketball without Borders Global Camp is a great opportunity for the top male and female prospects from around the world to compete against one another, learn directly from NBA and FIBA players, legends and coaches, and experience the excitement of NBA All-Star,” said NBA Vice President, International Basketball Operations & Head of Elite Basketball, Brooks Meek. “The Basketball without Borders program was founded on the belief that basketball brings young players from different backgrounds together and transcends cultural boundaries.”
“We look forward to the Basketball without Borders Global Camp taking place in New Orleans and tipping off another exciting year of the BWB program,” said FIBA National Federations & Sport Director Zoran Radovic. “The camp, which brings together youth players from across the globe, has already gone from strength to strength in a very short period of time and provides campers with the experience of a lifetime, both on and off the court.”
Current NBA assistant coaches Joe Connelly (Denver Nuggets), Jay Hernandez (Orlando Magic) and Fred Vinson (New Orleans Pelicans), along with Brooklyn Nets scout and NBA D-League Assistant GM Matt Riccardi, will also serve as BWB Global coaches. Patrick Hunt (President of the World Association of Basketball Coaches; Australia), Gersson Rosas (Houston Rockets; Colombia), Marin Sedlacek (Philadelphia 76ers; Serbia) and Masai Ujiri (Toronto Raptors; Nigeria) will serve as camp directors. Former NBA trainer Wally Blase (U.S.) will serve as the camp’s athletic trainer.
Players and coaches will lead the campers through a variety of activities on and off the court, including movement efficiency, positional skill development, shooting and skills competitions, 5-on-5 games, and daily life skills seminars focusing on health, leadership and communication. One boy and one girl will be named BWB Global Camp MVPs at the conclusion of the three-day camp.
The campers will attend the BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge, State Farm NBA All-Star Saturday Night, and the 66th NBA All-Star Game at Smoothie King Center.
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