Mon 28-02-2022 09:37 AM
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ABU DHABI, 27th February, 2022 (WAM) — The Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT Abu Dhabi) and the National Basketball Association (NBA) today announced the launch of the first-ever Junior NBA Abu Dhabi League from 30 Abu Dhabi schools. The school’s basketball league for 450 boys and girls aged 11-14. The league kicks off on Saturday, March 5, with the first Jr. NBA Abu Dhabi League Finals on Saturday, May 21. Earlier today, DCT Abu Dhabi and the NBA held their opening ceremonies and drafts, and each school was assigned an NBA team, received the corresponding NBA team-branded jersey, and participated in basketball development training, skills challenges and games. Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of DCT Abu Dhabi, Ralph Rivera, Managing Director of NBA Europe and Middle East, and 10-time NBA All-Star Clyde Drexler attended the draft and interacted with youth players. Forty Special Olympics athletes from Abu Dhabi attended the Special Olympics United Clinic yesterday as part of the Jr. NBA Abu Dhabi League. The Jr. NBA Abu Dhabi League, part of the league’s global Jr. NBA program, will consist of 20 teams and 10 teams for boys and girls, respectively, and will expand to include more schools in the coming years and league. The league is part of the NBA’s groundbreaking multi-year partnership with DCT Abu Dhabi, which will host its first preseason NBA game in the Arabian Gulf in October 2022. The partnership also includes a variety of interactive fan events, including: current and former NBA players, a series of NBA FIT clinics promoting health and wellness, and the NBA 2K League exhibition event. Mubarak said: “Abu Dhabi is proud to host the inaugural Jr. NBA League in the UAE, which will inspire boys and girls in our emirate to take part in this popular sport. As someone who has loved basketball since childhood, I know firsthand The magic of this sport. It truly brings communities together, builds teamwork, encourages leadership skills and promotes healthier lifestyles, creating lifelong memories along the way, which is what Abu Dhabi is all about. We Excited to share our love of basketball with the rest of the world while partnering with the NBA to develop the next generation of sports talent.”
Rivera said: “It is a pleasure to be back in Abu Dhabi for the launch of the inaugural Jr. NBA Abu Dhabi League, which marks an important milestone in our partnership with DCT Abu Dhabi. Improving youth engagement for boys and girls is our key to success. Part of the mission promotes the values of teamwork, respect and inclusion, while inspiring and connecting the next generation of players and fans through the game of basketball.”
“It was a pleasure to be on the court and share my love of the game with the boys and girls who participated in the first Jr. NBA Abu Dhabi League,” Drexler said. “Basketball inspired me to pursue my dreams, and I knew this program would do the same for the kids of Abu Dhabi. Who knows, the next NBA legend might be found in this league.”
The Jr. NBA Abu Dhabi League aims to promote the NBA and DCT Abu Dhabi’s shared values of leadership, opportunity and inspiration through leagues, events and clinics, as well as to encourage young people to lead healthy lifestyles through active participation in sports. Target. For the 2021-22 season, the Jr. NBA will reach nearly 37,000 youth in 28 countries in Europe and the Middle East. In this partnership, DCT Abu Dhabi has become the NBA’s Official Destination Partner in the Middle East, North Africa, Europe and China under the UAE capital’s tourism promotion program “Visit Abu Dhabi”. Translator: Esraa Badr https://wam.ae/en/details/1395303024953 .
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