NEW YORK - Basketball without Borders, a global basketball development and community outreach program, will return to four continents in 2006 and will be staged in Lithuania and Puerto Rico for the first time, it was announced by the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the International Basketball Federation (FIBA). The program, a basketball instructional camp for young people that also promotes friendship, healthy living and education with an emphasis on HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention, features current and former NBA players and team personnel as camp coaches.

“One of the cornerstones of NBA Cares, Basketball without Borders is truly a global program that transcends all boundaries,” said NBA Commissioner David Stern. “Through the sport of basketball, it unites young people from diverse cultural, national and economic backgrounds on four separate continents. The NBA is proud to join forces with FIBA and its federations to bring together young athletes from around the world for such an impactful program that also serves as an essential forum for important social issues such as HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention.”

Since the inaugural camp in 2001, Basketball without Borders has featured more than 120 NBA players, coaches and team personnel from 29 different teams as camp coaches for the more than 700 young athletes from nearly 100 different countries and territories. The NBA family and the campers have traveled more than 85 million miles and logged more than 1 million hours of community service participating in Basketball without Borders.

The camps will mark a return home for some of the league’s top international players, who will be joined by an array of NBA stars, reinforcing the dedication and commitment by players to communities worldwide.

Orlando Magic Basketball Without Borders Participants (Subject To Change)
June 8-11, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China at the Shanghai Sports Institute: Pat Garrity
June 30-July 3, Vilnius, Lithuania at the Sarunas Marciulionis Basketball Academy: Brian Hill
July 17-20, San Juan, Puerto Rico at the Roberto Clemente Arena: Carlos Arroyo, Bo Outlaw
Sept. 6-10, Johannesburg, South Africa at the American International School of Johannesburg: Randy Ayers