NBA LAUNCHES NETWORK OF INTERNATIONAL BASKETBALL SCHOOLS

“Our goal is to inspire more young male and female players to learn the game under the guidance of established coaches with proven training techniques. The NBA Basketball School builds an additional track between the Jr. NBA and NBA Academies with the goal of increasing the pool of players who have the talent to attend our academies around the world.” ~Brooks Meek, NBA Vice President, International Basketball Operations & Head of Elite Basketball

*Photo Credits to XtraTime

MUMBAI, NEW YORK, April 7, 2017 – The National Basketball Association (NBA) today announced the launch of NBA Basketball School, a network of tuition-based basketball development programs around the world open to international male and female players ages 6-18.  

NBA Basketball Schools Open to Young Male and Female Players; Top Players at Each Basketball School will have Opportunity to Attend NBA Academies. First School Launched Today in Mumbai, India.

“There has never been a more exciting time for the growth of basketball in India. Between NBA Academy India welcoming 24 elite prospects and the launch of NBA Basketball Schools with our partner India On Track, we are investing more than ever in identifying and training India’s aspiring young players.” ~Yannick Colaco, NBA India Managing Director

The NBA Basketball School in Mumbai builds on the NBA’s existing basketball and youth development initiatives in India.  The Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA program has reached more than 3.5 million youth and trained more than 3,000 physical education instructors nationwide since its launch in 2013.  In November 2016, the NBA announced its plan to launch NBA Academy India, an elite basketball training center in Delhi National Capital Region (NCR) for the top male and female prospects from throughout India.  NBA Academy India, the first of its kind in the country, will open in May. 

“We are now at the cusp of a new phase in India’s sporting journey, and to ensure its continued growth we need to lay down strong foundations for basketball. This initiative jointly executed by the NBA and India On Track will help to create a platform to identify and engage the untapped basketball potential in India thereby creating a larger talent pool for academies to choose from.” ~Vivek Sethia, India On Track Founder and Chief Executive Officer 

Each NBA Basketball School will feature year-long, tuition-based programs open to international male and female players ages 6-18.  The NBA Basketball School curriculum, which is designed to help players, parents, coaches and organizations better understand the process of improvement, has been developed by the NBA’s Elite Basketball Development team in consultation with current and former NBA coaches, former NBA players, and player development experts.  The comprehensive curriculum covers oncourt training, strength and conditioning, and basketball education for young players ages 6-18 and will be implemented by local coaches working directly with the NBA’s International Basketball Operations staff around the world.