BASKETBALL – BAHRAIN has been invited to participate in the Jr NBA League in Abu Dhabi next year, it has emerged.
This was announced yesterday by the Bahrain Basketball Association (BBA) following a fruitful meeting held with the European and Middle East arm of the National Basketball Association (NBA), during which they discussed prospects for cooperation and expanding future partnerships in the technical, development, and commercial fields.
Next year’s Jr NBA League in the UAE capital will be held in September. Also discussed were the possibility of hosting a future edition in the kingdom, along with Bahrain’s inclusion in NBA Academy programmes in Abu Dhabi.
The BBA’s meeting with NBA officials represents an important step towards consolidating Bahrain’s position on the international basketball map, and opening new horizons of co-operation with one of the world’s most prominent sports organisations, while enhancing the development of the game locally and regionally, the BBA said.
The BBA was represented at the meeting by BBA board members Hassan Yaseen and Mohammed Abdulsamad, and BBA secretary general Ahmed Hafez.
It was attended by NBA Europe and Middle East head of basketball operations vice-president Neal Meyer, NBA Europe and Middle East senior vice-president and managing director George Aivazoglou, NBA Europe and Middle East business development associate vice-president David Watts, and NBA basketball business operations senior director Henry Utku.
Also during the meeting, the NBA delegation expressed their great admiration for the level of public awareness and interest in basketball in Bahrain, commending the kingdom’s commitment to developing the game and investing in players and coaches.
They also praised the hospitality and sports culture that many Fiba Hall of Fame inductees recently experienced in Bahrain on the sidelines of the Fiba Mid-Term Congress last May, stressing that this encouraging environment is a real incentive to enhance cooperation and explore new opportunities for partnership.
The meeting also discussed organising a coaching workshop for young players and supporting emerging Bahraini talent capable of playing professionally at US-based universities.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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