Warriors Steve Kerr, Jazz's Azubuike among NBA stars coming to coach in Africa for BWB

 

 

Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr is heading to Egypt this month for Basketball Without Borders camp

Nigeria's Udoka Azubuike will join Golden State Warriors NBA title winning coach Steve Kerr and other NBA players, coaches and executives to coach 64 of the top boys and girls from 26 African countries at the 18th Basketball Without Borders camp in Cairo Egypt this month.

NBA Africa, the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and the Egyptian Basketball Federation announced on Thursday that the camp, holding at Hassan Mostafa Indoor Sports Complex in Cairo, Egypt, will mark the first time the NBA and FIBA’s global basketball development and community outreach program will be held in Egypt and the first time on the continent since 2019 in Senegal.

BWB Africa 2022 will bring together more than 60 of the top male and female players ages 18 and under from across Africa, including 14 NBA Academy Africa prospects and six NBA Academy Africa Women’s Program participants, to learn directly from current and former NBA and FIBA players, legends and coaches and compete alongside the best young players on the continent.  The campers and coaches will also take part in life skills, leadership development and community service programming.

Of those 64 players, Segun Obe and Emmanuel Tobi Stephen, will represent Nigeria.  

Nigeria's Udoka Azubuike of the Utah Jazz will coach at the BWB camp in Egypt

Apart from Nigeria's Udoka, the campers will be coached by NBA players Mo Bamba (Orlando Magic; U.S.; ties to Ivory Coast), 2017 NBA Rookie of the Year Malcolm Brogdon (U.S.; Boston Celtics) and Grant Williams (U.S.; Celtics), as well as NBA Global Ambassador and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo (Democratic Republic of the Congo).

Joining the NBA players and legends will be Kerr, the nine-time NBA champion and Golden State Warriors head coach, 2004 NBA champion and Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups, two-time NBA champion and New Orleans Pelicans head coach Willie Green, Washington Wizards head coach Wes Unseld Jr. and Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch, tying for the most NBA head coaches to participate in a single BWB camp.  Milwaukee Bucks associate head coach Charles Lee and Charlotte Hornets associate head athletic trainer Quinton Sawyer will also coach at the camp.

Toronto Raptors President Masai Ujiri completes the Nigeria connection. He will be joined by Cleveland Cavaliers General Manager Mike Gansey, Los Angeles Clippers scout Lance Blanks, and World Association of Basketball Coaches President and FIBA Technical Commission Chair Patrick Hunt (Australia) who will all serve as camp directors.

 Players and coaches will lead campers through a variety of activities, including movement efficiency drills, offensive and defensive skill stations, three-point contests, 5-on-5 games, and life skills and leadership development sessions.  Players and coaches will also host a unified Jr. NBA clinic for 100 boys and girls at Hassan Mostafa Indoor Sports Complex on Monday, Aug. 29, in collaboration with Special Olympics.

 A ceremony on the final day of the camp will award the BWB Africa 2022 MVP, Defensive MVP, Three-Point Champion and Patrick Baumann Sportsmanship Award to the boys and girls who distinguish themselves on the court and as leaders.

 A record 41 former BWB campers were among the record 121 international players on 2021-22 NBA opening-night rosters, including Gorgui Dieng (San Antonio Spurs; Senegal; BWB Africa 2009), five-time NBA All-Star Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers; Cameroon; BWB Africa 2011) and NBA champion Pascal Siakam (Toronto Raptors; Cameroon; BWB Africa 2012).

The NBA and FIBA have hosted 65 BWB camps in 30 countries since the program’s launch in 2001.  BWB has reached more than 3,800 participants from 134 countries and territories, with 105 former campers having advanced to the NBA or WNBA.