NBA to promote basketball in India

In a bid to promote basketball in India and to take country's current level of the game to new heights, the National Basketball Association (NBA) in combination with International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and Basketball Federation of India (BFI) has planned to stage ‘Basketball without Borders 2008’, a promotional programme, in the month of July in India.

It will be staged first-ever time by NBA in the Indian summer. The event will take place from 3rd to 6th July 2008, in New Delhi. Since its inaugural camp in 2001, Basketball without Borders has stretched its borders to nine countries and territories on five continents.

Last year, Basketball without Borders took place in four countries namely Shanghai, China; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Paris, France and Johannesburg in South Africa.

The programme is a global basketball development and community program that uses this game of sports to influence positive social change and features dozens of current and former FIBA/NBA players and team personnel working as camp coaches.

Top young players of under-19 age group will come together in country’s capital from across the Asia to take part in basketball instruction and competition.

They will also participate in motivational and life-skills seminars that promote education, leadership, character development and healthy living.

“We look forward to hosting this most prestigious basketball camp,” said Harish Sharma, BFI Secretary General.

“This will be an extraordinary opportunity to work with both FIBA and the NBA to help promote basketball in India,” he added.

"We are also looking forward to work together on the first of many activities to target basketball participation," Heidi Ueberroth, NBA president, said.

According to BFI secretary, the event holds great importance prior to the start of planned launch of a professional league in October. The programme is backed by FIBA and would surely encourage and endorse the sport in India.