These three teachers could not stress enough on the importance of education as the primary focus in a young players’ life. When speaking about priorities Vujacic said definitively, “School, family and then basketball.” This idea was reiterated by Foyle while he tried to get the campers to think about their possible futures, he said “If you could be in the NBA? But for only 4 years; what would you do after that?”
The discussion then turned to giving back to communities. It was then that Coach Lynam asked a camper, “How could you help at home?” Chinese Taipei’s Chieng-Lung Wu did not hesitate and jumped to say, “I can help younger basketball players to learn basketball in my hometown.” The group of campers grasped this quickly and continued to follow with a host of their own ways to help their community out.
To strengthen their bonding and sense of brotherhood with each other, coaches told them to interact by sharing with three others players to learn something about them. By then campers couldn’t wait to put what they learnt to the test and despite the language barrier, were soon moving around, mingling and sharing with each other.
From learning in a classroom to the courts, team practices focused on building their team play. Warm ups prepared players and coaches to share about what they thought of the progress of the camp so far.
“I was disappointed, and a bit frustrated on the first day because of the language barrier,” stated Gary Colson the coach of the Memphis Grizzlies, “but with help of the translators the campers really started to click. It was beautiful!”
When asked about the campers’ progress, Scottie Pippen remarked, “They have been doing well, but it is a work in progress… but they understand the game and they are picking it up.”
“The kids are incredibly receptive to coaching,” bragged Lynam “This is an educational experience in basketball and life”
The Legacy of the BWB – Yangpu Xinxing Migrant school In the alleys of Shanghai is a tiny poor three-storey migrant worker school. It is this school that the NBA Cares program of BWB reached out to leave a lasting legacy.
Under pouring rains and booming thunder, all the players, coaches, guests and media were crammed under a tent with water seeping through corners continuously. So many were drenched head to toe but children were still all smiles; the rain could not wash away their happiness at seeing their own Shanghai hero Yao Ming. Kids sung about having a grateful heart and thanking their motherland despite difficulties in life, that life is like a strand of pearl, so precious so delicate. How true it was what they sung, especially coming from these young ones who had been through so much difficulty simply to get an education!
Players were in the activity center, library and computer center interacting with children, teaching them the newest technology at the same time learning a few Chinese words for things like computer, basketball, etc.
“When the children were told the NBA did this for them all the kids are very excited and most were crying because they were so touched,” Principal He of Yangpu Xinxing School said, and added that “the computer room the court and the library will be a great help for their students’ future.”
“It was unbelievable; we could see all these young kids smiling,” a smiling Matt Carroll remarked, “I feel like they touched us more than we touched them.”
“I am proud” beamed Vlade Divac, “This is what NBA Cares is all about.”
NBA Access with Ahmad Rashad
RSS Feeds
