MANILA, July 30, 2010 – The first-ever NBA FIT Week in the Philippines will take place from Aug. 6 to 15 in Manila, the National Basketball Association (NBA) announced today. The nine-day event will be the largest NBA FIT program ever conducted in Southeast Asia.

NBA FIT, an initiative under the NBA Cares umbrella, is the league's comprehensive health and wellness program that encourages physical activity and healthy living for children and families through programs, events, and products.

NBA FIT Week in Manila will feature Miami HEAT Filipino-American Head Coach Erik Spoelstra. Spoelstra, an NBA FIT team member, will be joined by his assistant coach David Fizdale, along with celebrity athletes and local health, fitness, and wellness experts.

The NBA will conduct the following events during NBA FIT Week in Manila:

NBA FIT Clinics – Fans can participate in free fitness and basketball activities such as cardio and kickboxing classes led by Fitness First, running clinics by Coach Rio dela Cruz, bollywood and modern dance classes from fitness expert Marlette Besa, urban fitness demonstrations by the Philippine Kettlebell Club, healthy meal preparation demos led by celebrity chefs Rolly Laudico and Aileen Anastacio, and two time-based basketball and fitness competitions: the NBA FIT Challenge and Dribble Dish & Swish. Fans can also learn valuable tips on nutrition, hydration and healthy choices from renowned experts or receive health and BMI checks and nutritional counseling on-site. NBA FIT Clinics will be held at the SM North EDSA Annex on Aug. 7 and 8, at Far Eastern University (FEU) and De La Salle University (DLSU) on Aug. 10, and at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall on Aug. 15. Registration is on-site and all events and activities are free of charge.

NBA FIT Development Camp – Coach Spoelstra will host a one-day NBA-style training camp for some of the country’s top men’s and women’s basketball players at the Araneta Coliseum on Aug. 11. The 80 prospects, selected from schools of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) as well as others around Metro Manila will learn the latest NBA techniques and fitness training and will take part in advanced hydration “sweat tests” and other activities. Local basketball coaches, athletic trainers and members of the media will be invited to observe the camp.

NBA FIT Fun Run – An NBA FIT Fun Run, co-organized by RunRio, will take place on Aug. 14 with 3K, 5K and 10K distances. It is open to participants of all ages and a total of 2,000 spots are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Registration will be held at RUNNR, Bonifacio High Street at The Fort, and at Fitness First, SM Mall of Asia branch.

Spoelstra and his staff will also bring the NBA FIT message to the youth through basketball and fitness clinics in San Pablo, Laguna and in Metro Manila.

“Filipino NBA fans are extremely passionate about the league and this program will provide them with an authentic NBA experience in their own backyard,” said NBA Senior Vice President and Managing Director of NBA Asia Scott Levy. “We thank our partners for their enormous support and look forward to joining them in promoting the importance of health and fitness to Filipino youth.”

“NBA FIT is a terrific program and I am excited to return to the Philippines to promote the importance of healthy living to Filipino children and their families,” said Spoelstra. “Basketball is such a huge part of my life and giving back to our community is meaningful to me. Being able to combine basketball and my heritage gives me great pride.”

Official partners of the NBA FIT Week are Gatorade, Head & Shoulders, and Summit Drinking Water. Media partners are Basketball TV, Men’s Health Magazine, Yahoo! Philippines and Wave 89.1. Partners in sport include Fitness First, Run Rio and University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP). Venue partners are SM Malls and Marriott Manila. Community partners such as the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) under the Department of Science and Technology, and UNICEF are also endorsing the program.

For more information about NBA FIT Week, please log on to www.nba.com/philippines