NBA players, coaches and VIP guests were on hand to welcome the campers and to thank all of those who were integral in the development of this camp such as FIBA, CONADE, and BWB marketing partners. Over 70 media from major Mexican and international outlets were in attendance to cover the program and participate in a photo and interview session. Afterwards, the campers were divided up into the teams they were drafted to last night: 76ers, Hawks, Nets and Rockets. The teams participated in a round of morning skills sessions that covered post-moves, defensive footwork, passing and controlled ball handling. Both the campers and the NBA players and coaches were excited to get the basketball action started. The day was broken up by a NBA Cares and Special Olympics clinic for 80 athletes from across three Mexican states. All of the NBA players and coaches ran skill stations for the athletes from the Special Olympics Mexico, and the clinic closed with a shoot-out competition between two groups of 40 athletes. At the close of the clinic, everyone came together for a group photo and Al Horford from the Atlanta Hawks presented the athletes with an autographed ball and posters. The afternoon’s life skills session for the campers featured an interactive seminar to address health and wellness led by Mark Connolly from UNICEF Latin America, MTV Mexico VJ Ilana Sod, and Sam Dalembert from the 76ers. The program covered existing myths about HIV/AIDS and the 10 skills for life needed to prevent HIV/AIDS. After the life skills seminar, the campers reported back to the gym to have their first practice session with their coaches and teammates, where they quickly learned the offensive plays and defensive strategy they will use in their team competitions throughout the camp. It looks like there are going to be some competitive match-ups over the next three days.

Day three of Basketball without Borders Americas 2009 started off bright and early with morning skills stations. Campers were broken down by position and ran through drills covering skills specific to where they play on the floor. Willie Green from the Philadelphia 76ers and Al Horford from the Atlanta Hawks coached the guards, with Green teaching offense and Horford covering defense. Sam Dalembert from the Philadelphia 76ers and Eduardo Najera from the New Jersy Nets teamed up to train the forwards and centers. The teams were together for afternoon practice sessions and controlled scrimmages to prepare for the second round of team games. Basketball without Borders Americas community outreach for today took place at Cauce Ciudadano Community Center, a youth program that address Mexico’s increasing problem with youth violence. Created by a former gang member, Carlos Cruz, Cauce Ciudadano promotes a model of violence prevention that identifies influential gang leaders and helps create new roles for them as nonviolent role models in their schools. The NBA players and coaches joined UNICEF and MTV vee-jay Ilana Sod for group discussions with some of the Cauce Ciudando youth covering a range of topics from ever growing challenge of drugs and drug related violence to how basketball and teamwork can be a vehicle to connect to a community and affect change.