CANBERRA: The NBA, FIBA and Basketball Australia (BA) Thursday announced 64 of the top boys and girls from more than 15 countries across Asia-Pacific will travel to Canberra, Australia for the 12th Basketball Without Borders (BWB) Asia camp from Sunday, August 7 through to Wednesday, August 10 at NBA Global Academy, the league’s elite basketball training center at BA’s Centre of Excellence at the Australian Institute of Sport.
Two Indian girls – Shomira Bidaye and Kavya Singla – are among the 64 high-school aged players picked fpr the camp.
BWB Asia 2022 will mark the first time the NBA and FIBA’s global basketball development and community outreach program will be held in Asia-Pacific since 2019 in Japan and the first in Australia since 2016 in Melbourne.
The camp will bring together the top male and female players ages 18 and under from throughout Asia-Pacific to compete alongside their peers from across the region and learn directly from current and former NBA, WNBA and FIBA players and coaches.
The campers will be coached by NBA players Jarrett Allen (2022 NBA All-Star for the Cleveland Cavaliers; U.S.), Josh Green (Dallas Mavericks; Australia), Cameron Johnson (Phoenix Suns; U.S.) and Coby White (Chicago Bulls; U.S.). NBA assistant coaches Damian Cotter (Bulls; Australia), David Akinyooye (Oklahoma City Thunder; U.S.) and Eric Glass (Miami Heat; U.S.); New York Knicks international scout and Serbia Men’s National Team assistant coach Adam Tatalovich (U.S.); former WNBA players Kristi Harrower (Australia) and Annie La Fleur (Australia); and former Australia Women’s National Team player Jenni Screen (Australia) will also serve as BWB Asia coaches.
Patrick Hunt (president of the World Association of Basketball Coaches; Australia) will serve as camp director, while Dan Shimensky (Denver Nuggets; U.S.) will serve as the camp’s athletic trainer.
Players and coaches will lead campers through a variety of activities, including movement efficiency drills, offensive and defensive skill stations, three-point contests, 5-on-5 games, and life skills and leadership development sessions. A ceremony on the final day of the camp will award the BWB Asia 2022 MVP, Defensive MVP, Three-Point Champion and the Patrick Baumann Sportsmanship Award to the boys and girls who distinguish themselves on the court and as leaders.
A record 41 former BWB campers were among the record 121 international players on 2021-22 NBA opening-night rosters, including 2022 NBA All-Rookie Second Team member and NBA Global Academy graduate Josh Giddey (Thunder; Australia; BWB Asia 2018 and BWB Global 2020), Green (BWB Global 2018) and 2020 NBA All-Rookie Second Team member Rui Hachimura (Washington Wizards; Japan; BWB Global 2016).
The NBA and FIBA have hosted 64 BWB camps in 30 countries since the program’s launch in 2001. BWB has reached more than 3,800 participants from 133 countries and territories, with 105 former campers having advanced to the NBA or WNBA.
BWB Asia 2022 will be supported by Nike, which will outfit participants with Nike apparel and footwear, and Gatorade, which will keep players and coaches hydrated throughout the camp.
