By RUSSELL BENNETT
THE National Basketball Association’s (NBA) Basketball Without Borders program will hit Australia for the first time this year, and the Dandenong Stadium will hold the first camp next month.
In a spectacular boost to the sport in Melbourne’s south-east, the NBA’s global basketball development and community outreach program will head to Dandenong and Geelong from 23 to 26 June.
Basketball Without Borders celebrates its 15th anniversary this year and brings together the top male players born in 1999 from around the Asia Pacific region to learn from NBA and International Basketball Federation (FIBA) players, legends and coaches and to also compete against the best young players in the region.
There will also be a girls’ camp for the top female players in the state, as well as a junior NBA camp for local youngsters.
In a statement on the Dandenong Basketball website, Dandenong Stadium CEO Graeme Allen said he was thrilled with the announcement that the local facility would host the event.
“This is a major event for basketball in Australia and a coup for Dandenong Stadium and the many basketball participants and followers in Melbourne,” he said.
“The NBA held a smaller camp here (at Dandenong Stadium) a few years ago and their return is a resounding acknowledgment of our fantastic facilities here at Dandenong – one of the best indoor basketball facilities in the world.
“Players, coaches and legends of the NBA will be in town, supported by many great former NBL coaches and players, to work with and develop some of the best young talent in Australasia, right here in our great facility in Dandenong.”
Since the inaugural Basketball Without Borders event in 2001, the NBA and FIBA have held 45 camps in 26 cities around the world. Basketball Without Borders has hosted more than 2500 participants form 130 different countries.
Australia’s National Basketball League (NBL) will also be involved in the local event. Through a statement on the NBL website, NBA Asia managing director Scott Levy said: “The league (NBA) has seen a surge of Australian talent in recent years, and we look forward to supporting the next generation by giving them a platform to showcase their skills alongside their peers from throughout the region”.
Former Endeavour Hills local Andrew Bogut leads an in impressive Australian contingent in the NBA, which also includes Aron Baynes, Matthew Dellavedova, Dante Exum, Joe Ingles, Patty Mills and Melbourne-born superstar Kyrie Irving.
