CAMPINAS (Americas) - The first edition of the FIBA Americas Youth Development Program Elite Camp continued in the Clube Campineiro de Regatas e Natação with the visit of Brazilian basketball legends Marcel de Souza and FIBA Hall of Famer Amaury Pasos.

The FIBA Americas Youth Development Program Elite Camp will be held until December 17th in Campinas with the participation of 24 athletes and 10 referees.

The athletes and referees, born between 2002-2005, received a lecture from both legends as part of the camp. Amaury, member of the FIBA Hall of Fame having played in 4 FIBA Basketball World Cups and 2 Olympic Games, and Marcel de Souza, having played in 5 FIBA Basketball World Cups and 4 Olympic Games, spoke to the participants about their experiences in the Brazilian national team and offered advice for their future development in the sport.

Amaury Pasos

The participants had two full days of basketball activity that included neuroscience training, development of individual and team skills, player-referee dynamic conferences offered by the FIBA Americas Referee Director Geraldo Fontana, as well as scrimmages under the direction of the 10-time USA Basketball medalist coach Don Showalter and the current coach of the Brazilian national team Aleksandar Petrovic.

Geraldo Fontana

The camp also received the visit of 30 national coaches who accompanied all the sports activities, conferences and had the opportunity to exchange ideas individually with both Showalter and Petrovic.

Don Showalter



The Youth Elite Camp falls under the umbrella of one of FIBA Americas’ Key Pillars, the Youth Development Program that has the following objectives:

• Seek and Develop the Elite Young Players in the Americas with a view to have 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 Identifying the Talent

The Program, that will be executed through individual camps and development of young talent, is structured into three pillars: growing access of basketball to young athletes, giving more opportunities for young women to develop their game and creating a platform for the elite youth players of the Americas. Its implementation phase will begin with Elite Camps for boys in December 2018 and throughout the year 2019, with 2020 as the initial date for the Elite Camp for girls.

Marcel de Souza and Aleksandar Petrovic

Campinas is hosting the first of several Youth Development Program Elite Camps to be held in the Americas. Future camps are scheduled for South America, Central America and the Caribbean, culminating in a FIBA Americas Regional Camp and World Camp later next year.

FIBA