BEIJING, June 15, 2017 a The National Basketball Association (NBA) today announced the 73 boys and girls from Australia, China, India, Korea and New Zealand who will travel to Hangzhou, China for the fourth Asia Pacific Team Camp Presented by Nike.A The camp for elite young basketball talent in the region will be held June 18-21 at Zhejiang Provincial Sports Vocational Technical Institute.
Current NBA players Malik Beasley (Denver Nuggets), Andrew Nicholson (Brooklyn Nets) and Garrett Temple (Sacramento Kings); will join former WNBA player Zheng Haixia (the first Chinese WNBA player) NBA assistant coaches Ryan Bowen (Denver Nuggets), Charles Klask (Detroit Pistons), Bob Thornton (Sacramento Kings); and FIBA coach Ronald Cass to coach the 17 and 18-year old campers, who were selected by their respective basketball federations.
a?We are grateful for the continued support of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA); Zhejiang Provincial Sports Vocational Technical Institute and Nike to provide these elite young players with the opportunity; to learn from some of the worldas best players and coaches,a? said NBA China CEO David Shoemaker.A a?We are once again looking forward to a great camp that will help these young players and reach their full potential and positively impact the local community.a?
a?The Asia Pacific Team Camp presented by Nike will provide the top young talent from Australia, China, India; Korea and New Zealand with the training and competition to take their game to the next level;a? said Nike Asia Pacific Category Sports Marketing Director Goro Nakajima.A a?Furthermore, the players will learn leadership, character development and life skills that will serve them well for future success.a?
a?We are very excited to partner with the NBA and Nike to provide this incredible opportunity for the top young talents to learn on and off the court from some of the best coaches, including China basketball legend Zheng Haixia,a? said Zhejiang Provincial Sports Vocational Technical Institute President Zhang Yadong.A a?We appreciate the NBAas efforts to bring the camp to Hangzhou and to inspire our players in Zhejiang.a?
NBA Promoting Young Talent
Players and coaches will lead the campers through a variety of activities on and off the court, including movement efficiency; positional skill development, shooting and skills competitions, 5-on-5 games, and daily life skills seminars focusing on health, leadership and communication.A One boy and one girl will be named Asia Pacific Team Camp MVPs at the conclusion of the camp.
The camp will also include a variety of NBA Cares community outreach efforts with youth in Hangzhou in partnership with local community organizations.A These programs 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.
Nike, the Presenting Partner of the Asia Pacific Team Camp since 2011; will outfit the campers and coaches with Nike apparel and footwear.
2017 marks the fourth edition of the Asia Pacific Team Camp presented by Nike.A The camp was previously held in Melbourne, Australia (2011) and Nanjing, China (2013 and 2015).
