NBA Academy China Development Camp to bring together top prospects from across China

NBA China today announced that the NBA Academy China Development Camp, which will bring together top male and female prospects from across China to compete against and learn from one another, will take place from Sept 22-25 at the NBA Center in Wuqing, Tianjin, an NBA-themed lifestyle and training complex.

NBA China and the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) have identified 41 male and 22 female prospects ages 16 and under from the NBA Academies in Jinan, Urumqi and Zhuji along with players from sports schools and public schools to attend the camp.

Eight-time NBA All-Star Alex English, NBA Global Academy Technical Director Marty Clarke, 1996 Olympic Gold Medalist and Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame member Jennifer Azzi, two-time WNBA Champion Ruth Riley, and former college coach Blair Hardiek will oversee the camp. Azzi, Riley and Hardiek are the global technical directors for women’s programming across the league’s seven academies.

“It’s a great privilege to be a part of the NBA Academy China Development Camp,” said English. “The popularity of basketball is at all-time high in China, and I can’t wait to work with the talented boys and girls and help them develop as players and people on and off the court.”

The NBA Academy China Development Camp will feature NBA Academy coaches leading the prospects through a variety of activities, including movement efficiency, positional skill development, and daily life skills seminars focusing on health and wellness, leadership and communication.

NBA Academies, which employ a holistic, 360-degree approach to player development with focuses on education, leadership, health and wellness, character development and life skills, include educational development for top male and female prospects from outside the U.S. and mark a signature elite player development initiative for the NBA. The initiative exposes elite prospects to NBA-level coaching and facilities, while providing a global framework for them to maximize their success. As part of the program, the prospects compete against top competitors throughout the year and have an opportunity to be selected for travel teams that play in international tournaments and exhibition games.

Since October 2016, NBA Academies have been launched in Canberra, Australia; Jinan, Urumqi and Zhuji, China; Delhi National Capital Region (NCR), India; Mexico City, Mexico; and Thies, Senegal.

The world’s first NBA Center opened in April 2018. Covering approximately 12,000 square meters, the multi-level facility is a first-of-its-kind destination allowing fans to experience the NBA through a variety of activities and offerings, including regulation-sized basketball courts for recreational use, a basketball-themed children’s entertainment center with interactive games and an NBA retail store.