NEW YORK, May 14, 2007 – The NBA and WNBA announced today that Devonya Mills of Orlando, FL was named Orlando Magic Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA Coach of the Year for the 2006-07 season. Mills was chosen from the nearly 75,000 Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA coaches in the United States and Canada.

The Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA Coach of the Year program recognizes member coaches who stand out, both on and off the court, exemplify and teach Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA S.T.A.R. qualities (Sportsmanship, Teamwork, positive Attitude, and Respect), while representing the hard work and dedication that make youth sports a rewarding developmental experience for players, parents, officials and other coaches.

“Providing positive examples of sportsmanship and teamwork for youngsters to learn from, the Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA Coaches of the Year teach kids how to play the game the right way,” said Bill Laimbeer, WNBA Champion Detroit Shock Coach and Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA Advisory Council Member.

“The passion and commitment these coaches bring to youth basketball exemplifies the goals of the Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA,” said Nadine Glinski, Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA Director. “It was a difficult selecting 30 coaches out of so many deserving candidates, but this group stood out above the rest.”

Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA member league directors had the opportunity to nominate up to three coaches (male or female) from their league as a 2006-07 Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA Coach of the Year. The Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA Selection Committee evaluated the coaches on eight categories including preparation, teaching and ethics. The committee also examined the league directors’ evaluation forms and letters from parents, players or other coaches associated with the nominee.

As part of NBA Cares, Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA aims to develop a lifelong passion for the game of basketball by providing a support structure that not only encourages participation, but also makes the game fun and rewarding to over two million players, coaches, officials and parents involved in the program globally. Completing its sixth season, the league emphasizes fundamental skill development, S.T.A.R. qualities (Sportsmanship, Teamwork, a positive Attitude and Respect) for players, parents, coaches and officials and the importance of practicing a healthy and safe lifestyle.

The Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA provides instructional materials to players, parents, coaches and officials created by a distinguished group of experts, including nationally-recognized youth sports expert Rick Wolff, the National Association of Sports Officials (NASO), and the Jr. NBA/ Jr. WNBA Advisory Council comprised of Ray Allen (Seattle SuperSonics), Mike Bibby (Sacramento Kings), Sue Bird (Seattle Storm), Danny Crawford (NBA Official), Lisa Mattingly (WNBA Official), Bill Laimbeer (head coach of the Detroit Shock), Doc Rivers (head coach of the Boston Celtics), Tina Thompson (Houston Comets) and Bill Walton (Hall-of-Famer and ABC/ESPN analyst).