PR N°16 - FIBA and the NBA bring Basketball without Borders 2007 to Africa, Americas, Asia and Europe

GENEVA (Basketball without Borders) - Basketball without Borders 2007 will take place this summer in Shanghai (People's Republic of China), São Paulo (Brazil), Paris (France) and Johannesburg (South Africa), the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and the National Basketball Association (NBA) announced today.

Basketball without Borders is a global basketball development and community outreach program that uses the sport of basketball to influence positive social change and features dozens of current and former FIBA/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).

"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."

"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."

Each Basketball without Borders camp will unite the top young basketball players (ages 19 and under) from across each continent to take part in basketball instruction and competition. Camp participants are selected by FIBA and participating national 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.

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 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 FIBA/NBA family will take part.
The following is a tentative list of current and former FIBA/NBA players who are scheduled to participate in Basketball without Borders 2007: