By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
The NBA and FIBA 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 from February 15-17 (Friday-Sunday) at the Queens University of Charlotte Levine Center for Wellness and Recreation as part of NBA All-Star 2019, featuring names like Killian Hayes and Deni Avdjia on the boys’ roster.
2019 NBA All-Stars Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets; Serbia) and Nikola Vucevic (Orlando Magic; Montenegro), 2018 No. 1 overall draft pick and former BWB camper Deandre Ayton (Phoenix Suns; Bahamas; BWB Global 2016), 2017-18 All-Rookie Second Team member Bogdan Bogdanovic (Sacramento Kings; Serbia) will coach the top high school age campers from Africa, the Americas, Asia and Europe.
Jokic, Vucevic, Ayton and Bogdanovic 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 player 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 Philadelphia 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 BWB campers who were 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 nine 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.