BROOKLYN (March 21, 2016) – The Brooklyn Nets will be hosting a delegation of non-elite Russian basketball coaches as part of the SportsUnited: Basketball Ambassadors of Today and Tomorrow program, designed to promote professional exchange with their American counterparts.
The delegation of 32 coaches from all across Russia will attend Thursday’s game vs. the Cleveland Cavaliers at Barclays Center. The coaches will also have the opportunity to meet the three Russian players currently active in the NBA: Sergey Karasev (Nets), Timofey Mozgov (Cavaliers), and Sasha Kaun (Cavaliers) following the game.
The visit precedes a trip by American high school players and coaches to Russia, who will travel to Moscow in April to enjoy basketball and cultural experiences in the Russian capital.
Brooklyn Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov said: “We are happy to welcome the delegation of Russian coaches. It is vital not only that we share our knowledge and experience about the game of basketball, but that we also have the time and opportunity to talk and listen to one another. I hope my fellow countrymen and women have a wonderful time at the Nets game and throughout their stay in the US.”
SportsUnited Basketball Ambassadors of Today and Tomorrow program was established by the New York-based Russian American Foundation (RAF) in collaboration with former Nets player and current head of the Russian Basketball Federation Andrei Kirilenko’s initiative School 2.0.
RAF Vice President Rina Kirshner said: “We are thrilled to be able to provide a platform that brings together coaches and youth of both countries through a common bond of basketball.”