Two Indians; Grishma Niranjan and Harshwardhan Tomar, at Fifth Annual Basketball Without Borders Global Camp in Charlotte
The National Basketball Association (NBA) and the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) today announced the top 63 boys and girls from 31 countries and regions who will travel to Charlotte for the fifth annual Basketball Without Borders (BWB) Global Camp. The camp will be held Friday, Feb. 15 – Sunday, Feb. 17 at the Queens University of Charlotte Levine Center for Wellness and Recreation as part of NBA All-Star 2019, and NIKE will serve as the official partner.
2019 NBA All-Stars Nikola Jokić (Denver Nuggets; Serbia) and Nikola Vučević (Orlando Magic; Montenegro), 2018 No. 1 overall draft pick and former BWB camper Deandre Ayton (Phoenix Suns; Bahamas; BWB Global 2016), and 2017-18 All Rookie Second Team member Bogdan Bogdanović (Sacramento Kings; Serbia) will coach the top high school age campers from Africa, the Americas, Asia and Europe.
Jokić, Vučević, Ayton and Bogdanović will be joined by NBA veteran Festus Ezeli (Nigeria), former NBA players Adonal Foyle (St. Vincent and the Grenadines) and Michael Ray Richardson (U.S.), Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame member Jennifer Azzi (U.S.), former WNBA players Allison Feaster (U.S.), Ashley Battle (U.S.), Taj McWilliams-Franklin (U.S.), Astou N’Diaye (Senegal) and Andrea Stinson (U.S.), as well as select players participating in NBA All-Star 2019. Charlotte Hornets assistant coaches Dutch Gaitley (U.S.), Nate Mitchell (Canada) and Ronald Nored (U.S.), along with 76ers assistant coach John Bryant (U.S.) and Los Angeles Lakers assistant coach Mark Madsen (U.S.) will also serve as BWB Global coaches.
Among the record 27 former Basketball Without Borders campers on opening-night NBA rosters for the 2018-19 season (active and inactive), nine participated in the BWB Global Camp, including Ayton, 2017-18 NBA All-Rookie First Team member Lauri Markkanen (Chicago Bulls; Finland; BWB Europe 2014; BWB Global 2015), and 2016 No. 7 overall draft pick Jamal Murray (Nuggets; Canada; BWB Global 2015).
Patrick Hunt (President of the World Association of Basketball Coaches; Australia), Gersson Rosas (Houston Rockets; Colombia), Marin Sedlacek (76ers; Serbia) and Masai Ujiri (Toronto Raptors; Nigeria) will be the camp directors. Hornets trainer Adam Linens will serve as the camp’s strength and conditioning coach and athletic trainer.
Players and coaches will lead the campers through a variety of activities on and off the court, including movement efficiency, skill development stations, 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 camp will feature 10 current prospects from NBA Academies, the league’s network of elite basketball training centers around the world for top male and female prospects from outside the U.S., and five prospects who participated in The NBA Academies Women’s Program, a series of basketball development camps for top female prospects from outside the U.S at the league’s academies. Since October 2016, NBA Academies have been launched in Canberra, Australia; Jinan, Urumqi and Zhuji, China; Mexico City, Mexico; Delhi National Capital Region (NCR), India; and Saly, Senegal. Ten NBA Academies prospects have committed to NCAA Division 1 schools.
The camp will be officiated by representatives from the NBA’s Referee Development Program, which provides rising professionals and former players with the skills necessary to pursue a career as a referee in the NBA, WNBA and NBA G League.
The campers will attend MTN DEW ICE Rising Stars, State Farm All-Star Saturday Night, and the 68th NBA All-Star Game at Spectrum Center.
NIKE, a global partner of BWB since 2002, will outfit the campers and coaches with NIKE apparel and footwear.
BWB, the NBA and FIBA’s global basketball development and community outreach program, has reached more than 3,300 participants from 129 countries and territories since 2001, with more than 55 former campers drafted into the NBA or signed as free agents. The NBA and FIBA have staged 56 BWB camps in 35 cities across 28 countries on six continents. More than 290 current and former NBA, WNBA and FIBA players have joined more than 225 NBA team personnel from all 30 NBA teams to support BWB across the world.
Follow the camp using the hashtag #BWBGlobal on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Find out more about NBA Academies at nbaacademy.nba.com and on Instagram (nbaacademy).
