Basketball Without Borders

From Hoopedia

Basketball without Borders 2007 will take place this summer in Shanghai, China; São Paulo, Brazil; Johannesburg, South Africa, and Paris, France. It is a program operated by the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the International Basketball Federation (FIBA). The NBA’s global basketball development and community outreach program uses the sport of basketball to influence positive social change and features dozens of current and former NBA players and team personnel as camp coaches. Partners for the camps include DHL and Spalding (Asia); American Airlines, Gatorade, Nike and Spalding (Americas); Hannspree, Nike and Spalding (Europe); and South African Airways, Spalding and Sprite (Africa).

“Working as a camp coach for last year’s Basketball without Borders Africa was a life-changing experience for me,” said Chicago Bulls guard Chris Duhon, who will participate this year in the Asia and Europe camps. “Every NBA player should take the opportunity to participate in this program as it not only builds hope and aspirations for the young campers but touches the lives of so many people and communities in need.”

“Basketball without Borders is well established as the NBA’s innovative global program and further demonstrates the commitment of the NBA family, its teams, players and coaching staff in reaching out to communities worldwide through NBA Cares,” said Kathleen Behrens, Senior Vice President, NBA Community & Player Programs. “Together with FIBA and our marketing partners’ commitment to social responsibility, these camps exemplify the concept of using basketball to achieve a greater goal of influencing social change around the world.”

Basketball without Borders 2001 NBA Players

Each Basketball without Borders camp will unite the top young basketball players (ages 19 & under) from across each continent to take part in basketball instruction and competition. Camp participants are selected by FIBA and participating basketball federations based on their basketball skills, leadership abilities and dedication to the sport. To promote friendship and diversity, the campers will be divided into teams without regard to race and nationality. They also will participate in motivational and life-skills seminars that promote education, leadership, character development, and healthy living with an emphasis on HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention.

The camps will also be highlighted by extensive community outreach with efforts culminating in an NBA Cares Legacy Project. Through Basketball without Borders, the NBA and its partners have created 26 places around the world where families and children can live, learn or play.

“The role of FIBA and its 213 national federations around the globe is to promote the game of basketball, in particular among youngsters,” said FIBA Development Director Zoran Radovic. “We are pleased that our cooperation with the NBA for the Basketball without Borders camps provides many national federations and talented young players, particularly from developing areas, the opportunity to taste basketball at a high level and learn human and social values alongside with sport-specific skills. We have seen many former campers such as Andrea Bargnani, from Italy, Chen Jianghua, from China, and Mouhamed Saer Sene, from Senegal, starring for their national teams at a young age."

Since the inaugural camp in 2001, Basketball without Borders has expanded to nine countries and territories on five continents. The program has featured more than 160 NBA players, coaches and team personnel from 30 different teams as camp coaches and mentors for more than 1,000 young athletes from 100 countries and territories. This year, more than 65 members of the NBA family will take part, including more than 30 current and former NBA coaches and team personnel.

The NBA family and the campers have traveled more than 85 million miles and logged more than one million hours of community service participating in Basketball without Borders. In addition, the program has reached countless others through its community outreach efforts in each region.

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Who, When and Where (2007)

Dates and Locations	Players and Teams
Basketball without Borders Asia Shanghai Sports Institute Shanghai, People’s Republic of China July 5-8 Marketing Partners: DHL and Spalding	Luther Head (Houston Rockets) Matt Carroll (Charlotte Bobcats) Chris Duhon (Chicago Bulls) Adonal Foyle (Golden State Warriors) Scottie Pippen (Former NBA Player)
Basketball without Borders Americas Esporte Clube Pinheiros Sao Paulo, Brazil July 31 – August 3 Marketing Partners: American Airlines Gatorade, Nike and Spalding	Rafael Araujo (Utah Jazz) Leandro Barbosa (Phoenix Suns) Matt Bonner (San Antonio Spurs) Samuel Dalembert (Philadelphia 76ers) Kyle Korver (Philadelphia 76ers) James Jones (Phoenix Suns) Sam Perkins (Former NBA player) Nenê (Denver Nuggets) Anderson Varejao (Cleveland Cavaliers) Luke Walton (Los Angeles Lakers)
Basketball without Borders Europe Stade Pierre de Coubertin Paris, France August 6-10 Marketing Partners: Hannspree, Nike and Spalding	Samuel Dalembert (Philadelphia 76ers) Boris Diaw (Phoenix Suns) Yakhouba Diawara (Denver Nuggets) Chris Duhon (Chicago Bulls) Bo Outlaw (Orlando Magic) Mickael Gelabale (Seattle SuperSonics) Johan Petro (Seattle SuperSonics) Tony Parker (San Antonio Spurs) Mickael Pietrus (Golden State Warriors) Ronny Turiaf (Los Angeles Lakers)
Basketball without Borders Africa American International School of Johannesburg Johannesburg, South Africa September 5-9 Marketing Partners: South African Airways, Spalding and Sprite	Bruce Bowen (San Antonio Spurs) Primoz Brezec (Charlotte Bobcats) Josh Childress (Atlanta Hawks) Pat Garrity (Orlando Magic) Chris Kaman (L.A. Clippers) Sean Marks (Phoenix Suns) Jim Jackson (Former NBA Player) Steve Smith (Former NBA Player) Mike Miller (Memphis Grizzlies) Dikembe Mutombo (Houston Rockets) Bostjan Nachbar (New Jersey Nets) Emeka Okafor (Charlotte Bobcats) Malik Rose (New York Knicks)