The National Basketball Association (NBA), the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and the Colombian Basketball Federation (FCB) today announced the top 64 boys and girls from 18 countries and territories who will travel to Medellin, Colombia for the 10th Basketball Without Borders (BWB) Americas camp. The camp will be held Monday, June 24 – Thursday, June 27 at The Ivan de Bedout Coliseo in Medellin, marking the first time that the NBA and FIBA’s global basketball development and community outreach program will be held in Colombia.
BWB Americas 2019 will bring together the top male and female players ages 17 and under from throughout Latin America and the Caribbean to learn directly from current and former NBA and FIBA players and coaches and to compete against the best young players from the region.
Current NBA players and former BWB campers Bruno Caboclo (Memphis Grizzlies; Brazil; BWB Americas 2013) and Jamal Murray (Denver Nuggets; Canada; BWB Global 2015), former NBA player Carlos Arroyo (Puerto Rico), former WNBA player Ruth Riley (U.S.) and Colombian player Juan Palacios (Élan Chalon) will be among the coaches leading the campers.
Current NBA assistant coaches Zach Guthrie (Utah Jazz), Royal Ivey (New York Knicks), Dutch Gaitley (Charlotte Hornets) and Dawn Smyth (Canada Basketball) will also serve as BWB Americas coaches. Patrick Hunt (President of the World Association of Basketball Coaches; Australia) and Gersson Rosas (President of Basketball Operations, Minnesota Timberwolves; Colombia) will serve as camp directors, and Ernest Eugene (Orlando Magic) will serve as the camp’s athletic trainer.
Players and coaches will lead the campers through a variety of activities, including movement efficiency, skill development stations, 5-on-5 games and daily life skills seminars focusing on health, leadership and communication. One boy and one girl will be named BWB Americas camp MVPs at the conclusion of the camp.
BWB Americas will also include a Jr. NBA clinic with local youth in partnership with community organizations, which will highlight the power of sport to promote cultural understanding while teaching the importance of a healthy, active lifestyle and the values of the game, including teamwork, integrity and respect. In addition, longtime former NBA official Eddie F. Rush will lead various development sessions with local FIBA referees and NBA and FIBA coaches will lead a coaching clinic for local coaches.
Nike, a BWB global partner since 2002, will outfit the campers and coaches with Nike apparel and footwear.
The NBA and FIBA have staged 58 BWB camps in 37 cities in 29 countries on six continents. BWB has hosted more than 3,400 participants from 129 countries and territories. More than 290 current and former NBA and WNBA players have joined more than 230 NBA team personnel from all 30 NBA teams, with 60 former BWB campers drafted into the NBA or signed as free agents.