Japan's Basketball Without Borders Asia 2019 features 10 Australians
The National Basketball Association (NBA) and the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) today announced the top 64 boys and girls from 18 countries and territories who will participate in the 11th edition of Basketball Without Borders (BWB) Asia.
BWB Asia 2019 will be held Wednesday, August 14 to Saturday, August 17 in Tokyo, marking the second time that the NBA and FIBA’s global basketball development and community outreach program will be held in Japan. BWB Asia was previously conducted in Japan in 2012.
Australia will boast the largest representation of any one country, with five boys and five girls set to take part. Last year, 8 Australian youths participated in the NBA's Basketball Without Borders Asia camp.
Credit: NBA
BWB Asia 2019 will feature a number of current and former NBA players, including three-time NBA Champion Sam Cassell, two-time NBA Champion Kevon Looney (Golden State Warriors), Robin Lopez (Milwaukee Bucks) and Yuta Tabuse (formerly of the Phoenix Suns; Japan). Former WNBA players Ashley Battle, Allison Feaster and Yolanda Moore will also participate in the camp and coach the top high-school-age campers from throughout the Asia-Pacific region.
Current NBA assistant coaches Pat Delany (Orlando Magic), Bryan Gates (Minnesota Timberwolves), Antonio Lang (Cleveland Cavaliers) and Wes Unseld Jr. (Denver Nuggets) will also serve as BWB Asia 2019 coaches. Patrick Hunt (President of the World Association of Basketball Coaches; Australia) will be the camp director. Jeff Tanaka (Chicago Bulls) will serve as the camp’s athletic trainer.
Players and coaches will lead the campers through a variety of activities on and off the court, including movement efficiency, skill development stations, shooting and skills competitions, 5-on-5 games, and daily life skills seminars focusing on health, leadership and communication. One boy and one girl will be named BWB Asia MVPs at the conclusion of the camp. In addition, former NBA Referee Joey Crawford will lead development sessions with local FIBA referees.
A trio in West Australians feature in the boys, with Josh Hunt, Daniel Rogers and Kane Waters joined by South Australian Lewis Rowe and Victoria's Patrick Ryan heading to Japan.
Big man Kane Waters played in the third NBA Academy Games, with Canberra's NBA Global Academy, and emerged champions in Atlanta, while Patrick Ryan was one of the latest recipients of a scholarship from the Centre of Excellence (CoE). All were part of the Australian Under-17 squad but not included in the final team for the 2019 FIBA Oceania Under-17 Championships being held in Noumea, New Caledonia later this month, with the event dates clashing.
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Victorian duo Emily Sewell and Keeley Evans are joined by New South Wales' Ruby-Belle Macdonald and Isabelle Morgan, with Georgia Woolley from Queensland rounding out the five Australian girls set to participate.
Sewell was one of three new CoE scholarship holders this year, with all five girls part of the Australian Under-17 squad, but not selected to the final team of 12 for the 2019 FIBA Oceania Championships.
NIKE, a global partner of BWB since 2002, will outfit the campers and coaches with NIKE apparel and footwear. Rakuten, the NBA’s exclusive live-game distribution partner in Japan and presenting partner of The NBA Japan Games 2019, and MGM Resorts International (MGM), the NBA’s Official Integrated Resorts partner in Japan, are official event partners of BWB Asia 2019.
BWB Asia 2019 will also include NBA Cares and community outreach efforts with youth in Tokyo. These efforts will highlight the power of sport to promote cultural understanding while teaching the importance of a healthy, active lifestyle and the values of the game, including teamwork, integrity and respect.
The NBA and FIBA have staged 60 BWB camps in 38 cities in 30 countries on six continents, reaching more than 3,500 participants from 129 countries and territories since 2001. Sixty-nine former campers have been drafted into the NBA or signed as free agents, and a record eight former BWB campers were selected in the 2019 NBA Draft, including Rui Hachimura (Washington Wizards; Japan; BWB Global 2016), surpassing the previous record of six sets in 2011 and matched in 2016 and 2018. Last season, a record 27 former BWB campers were on 2018/19 opening-night rosters, including 2019 NBA champions Pascal Siakam (Toronto Raptors; Cameroon; BWB Africa 2012) and Marc Gasol (Raptors; Spain; BWB Europe 2003), as well as two-time NBA All-Star Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers; Cameroon; BWB Africa 2011).
5 boys and 3 girls from New Zealand will participate in the camp as well. This includes Jazzmyne Kailahi-Fulu, Emilia Shearer, Jayzelee Waihi, Clifton Bush III, Dallas Clayton, Harrison Payne, Jackson Smyth and Evyatar Tabor.
Australians in 11th Basketball Without Borders Asia camp
Emily Sewell (VIC)
Ruby-Belle Macdonald (NSW)
Keeley Evans (VIC)
Georgia Woolley (QLD)
Isabelle Morgan (NSW)
Josh Hunt (WA)
Daniel Rogers (WA)
Lewis Rowe (SA)
Patrick Ryan (VIC
Kane Waters (WA)