MEXICO CITY (Mexico) – It's the second day of the Youth Development Program Elite Camp organized by FIBA in the CNAR facilities. The camp will take place until Sunday, June 23.

After a successful run in Campinas, Brazil and in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the YDP in Mexico is being attended by the best 24 prospects of Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, Costa Rica and Panama of the ages of 16 and 17, as well as eight coaches. Simultaneously, there is a Young Referees’ Camp with 12 participants.

FIBA's mission is to offer players the tools they need to have an impact on their senior national teams while focusing on the development of youth and of a basketball with a vision for the future. With the five chosen players of the three camps, a continental FIBA Americas team will be built and will count on holistic support that's both physical and psychological, as well as providing the needed friendly games to bolster their abilities in international experiences against other regions of the world.

During the first day of activities, the young athletes underwent a series of physical tests and anthropometric measurements. The second day included skills development sessions, nutrition and game psychology talks, team practices and five on five games.

 
There will be talks throughout the entire 3 days of the camp, including current Mexican national team players. The first of these was by Pedro “Pery” Meza, who talked to the young players about his experience in this national team.

“My talk had nothing to do with basketball, because more than players, we're people, and that's most important than anything else. I talked about the importance of being a good person, of working humbly and to not be afraid of failing, because success is full of failures —and that's how you learn. We talked about more important things, about what life’s about,” said Pery, who became a role model for the entire Mexican team because he was a key piece of the 12 Warriors team that won the FIBA Americas Championship and achieved the historic ticket to the 2014 World Cup in Spain.

“We're lacking these types of events in Mexico, particularly in the development and preparing young players, as well as in training sessions. I'm very happy that FIBA has chosen Mexico as hosts and I'm honored to have been given the responsibility of contributing with the young players and like this make my small contribution. We hope that there are many more camps for new generations, who will be the ones that fill the positions in future national teams,” he stated.

The Youth Elite Camp is based on one of FIBA Americas’ fundamental pillars, the Youth Development Program, whose objectives are the following:

• Seek and develop the Elite Young Players in the Americas with a view to having these participants elevating the quality of their national teams by the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 and the Paris Olympic Games 2024
• Establish a process for tracking and monitoring young talent in their evolution and progression in the Americas Region
• Work hand in hand with Key Stakeholders and National Federations to identify talents

“I was very excited when I learned that I was called to be a part of the YDP because I had already seen a bit of the camp in the other venues and I know that it's another level. I was very happy because they chose me out of millions of young players. In the first days, they talked to us about the respect that we should have for our teammates, the game and, of course, for ourselves; they then taught us about the team spirit that we must have among ourselves. I know that it will help me as a person and also in everything that I need to develop in how I move the ball and in how I pivot,” said 6’4” Alejandro de León to FIBA.basketball as one of the two players that are representing Guatemala in the Camp.

The third and fourth day of the Camp will continue with scheduled activities and will welcome the presence of Mexican national team player Israel Gutiérrez, who will also give a talk; as well as Mexican national team coach Iván Déniz, who will give a conference for coaches at the last day of the Camp.

FIBA