Sept. 8 -- "You can teach us more than we can ever teach you."

Those were the words from Spurs’ forward Malik Rose, clearly touched and humbled by the performance he had just witnessed. In such a short phrase, Rose had surmised what all the people in the small dusty room were thinking. In an afternoon filled with emotion, the stars of the NBA were forced to put basketball out of their minds for a few hours as they were confronted first hand to the harsh realities of life.

In an awe-inspiring demonstration of passion and emotion at the Soweto Kliptown Youth (SKY) Trust, the children reduced the giants of the NBA to tears. In heart-wrenching fashion the children, some as young as five, sang stories of hardship, poverty and abuse; each having lived through more at such a young age than most people experience in a lifetime.

Then, just as it was becoming almost too much to bear, the mood suddenly changed - the children began clapping and dancing and, as the message turned to one of hope and love, smiling faces filled the room.

Visibly moved, the players gave a standing ovation to the children.

Following the performances, Bob Lanier and the NBA players talked emotively about their own experiences. They then talked to the children about how vital it is to get a good education whilst stressing, above all else, the importance of reading. As part of the NBA’s Read To Achieve program and on behalf of the NBA, the event at SKY included a contribution of books, school supplies, hygiene products and clothing made to the SKY Trust.

Prior to this the players had been given a small tour of the community, visiting tin shacks where families of up to 12 people would live in cramped, unhygienic conditions. With little or no sanitation, up to 25 families were forced to share water from one single tap, which was used both for washing and cleaning, as well as for drinking.

Many had first experienced such misery first hand experiences of such traumatic Basketball without Borders highlights the league's strong and lasting commitment to creating programs that improve the quality of life for all people and has created and implemented programs that address important social issues, with a special emphasis on reading and on-line literacy initiatives for children.

Each year the league, its players and its teams donate millions of dollars and thousands of hours to charities and community outreach programs. The camp, which will take places in Johannesburg, South Africa, September 6-10, at the American International School of Johannesburg, is co-organized by the NBA, FIBA and BSA and sponsored by Molten, Reebok, South African Airways, Spalding and Sprite, among others.

In addition to basketball instruction and competition, the young players, 16-20 years of age, taking part at the camp will share living quarters with their new teammates and participate in daily seminars featuring Lanier that promote leadership and healthy living, HIV/AIDS and drug abuse education and prevention.

“The NBA is committed to use the sport of basketball as an international language to promote global friendship and sportsmanship,” said NBA Commissioner David Stern. “Through Basketball without Borders, we bring together young people from all walks of life to create important dialogue and to teach them about important social issues such as HIV/AIDS education and prevention.”

The U.S. Embassy in Pretoria and the U.S. Consulate in Johannesburg will again partner with the NBA in activities scheduled during this year's Basketball without Borders camp, including activities focused on HIV/AIDS education and prevention and other community outreach.

“We are very pleased to assist Commissioner Stern and the NBA with the Camp," says U.S. Ambassador to South Africa Dr. Jendayi Frazer. "Basketball is a special sport. It has been a positive influence in the lives of millions and millions of young men and women. If we can help share the sport with South Africans, we're more than happy to do that.”