NBA, HP and BFI partner to launch 2012 Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA school-based program in India

Company Brief

Mumbai, May 21, 2012

The National Basketball Association (NBA), in collaboration with HP and Basketball Federation of India (BFI), today announced it will launch the 2012 Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA basketball development program in India on May 26. The program will reach approximately 10,000 students and 800 coaches in five cities and marks an important step in incorporating basketball into the regular sports routine of Indian youth at the school level.

The program will visit Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai, Pune and Chandigarh, and will culminate with the Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA Skills Challenge National Finals in Delhi, 14 – 15 July. This marks the NBA’s first program in Chandigarh, showcasing the league’s commitment to growing basketball across the country. The NBA has now implemented sustainable grassroots programs in seven cities in India.

BFI and HP will support the Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA program and enhance the experience for Indian youth throughout the event. adidas is the official outfitter for the program and will provide apparel and footwear for participants and coaches.

The 2012 Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA program will tip-off with a two-day ‘Train the Trainer’ program in each city led by NBA coaches. ‘Train the Trainer’ will feature on-court clinics and classroom sessions for approximately 150 coaches in each of the five cities.

These sessions will feature the NBA’s first-ever Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA India-focused training video. The 75 minute DVD, shot in India with local players, includes videos illustrating fundamental skill development, advanced offensive moves, and fitness training. Each coach attending the ‘Train the Trainer’ sessions will receive a copy of the DVD.

A dedicated Jr. NBA/Jr.. WNBA microsite on NBA.com India will provide all coaches and physical education instructors access to videos, photos and other materials to reinforce proper training technique.

At the center of this program is the Jr.. NBA/Jr. WNBA Skills Challenge, which begins with a City Championship tournament in all five cities. Approximately 2,000 participants between the ages of 10-12 in each city will compete in a series of timed skills tests measuring their abilities in key fundamentals such as dribbling, passing, and shooting. The top five boys and top five girls will qualify to represent their city at the Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA National Finals. The boy and girl that complete the skills tests with the best times at the National Finals will be crowned Jr. NBA/Jr. NBA Skills Challenge National Champions and will win a trip to NBA All-Star 2013 in Houston, Texas.

From the ‘Train the Trainers’ clinics through to the National Finals, HP will provide laptops and Dream Screens to enhance the training experience. An HP Technology Zone will be created at each City Championship and the National Finals where fans can create their own basketball player with the NBA Avatar game.

“The Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA program demonstrates the NBA’s commitment to growing basketball at a grassroots level and will reach more children in its second year as one of the league’s most inclusive programs in India,” said Akash Jain, Sr. Director, Development, NBA India. “Using the Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA program to educate basketball coaches and instructors is crucial to ensuring quality fundamental skill development in young basketball players across India..”

“With a very strong focus on the youth of the country, Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA will help create yet another platform with the NBA to reach our young and active audiences while promoting the game of basketball,” said HP India Chief Marketing Officer, PSG, Ranjivjit Singh. “HP and the NBA have worked together for nearly four years on initiatives promoting basketball in India, and we are looking forward to once again being part of the Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA program.”

The first Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA program staged in India was the 2008 Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA Hoops School in Bangalore, Delhi, and Mumbai. In 2011, the Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA Skills Challenge was held in India for the first time and this year marks the league’s most comprehensive school-based youth program to date.

Since 2008, the NBA has staged grassroots programs in seven cities in India including the Mahindra NBA Challenge which has become the largest, multi-city, community-based basketball league in India. Six live NBA games air each week during the regular season on Ten Sports, Sony PIX, Sony SIX and NBA.com/India, and the NBA currently has its widest assortment of NBA merchandise available in 200 adidas stores across the country. The NBA has marketing partnerships in India with adidas, Coca-Cola, HP, Mahindra, Nike, Reebok and Spalding. Approximately 15 players and legends from the NBA and WNBA have visited India to conduct basketball clinics and engage fans including NBA All-Stars Dwight Howard, Pau Gasol and NBA champions Robert Parish and AC Green.

For further information, please contact:

Adfactors PR

Aaron Gomes

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Email: aaron.gomes@adfactorspr.com