Outlaw Participating in Basketball Without Borders Europe
Orlando Magic player Bo Outlaw will be among a group of NBA players and coaches that will participate in the NBA's community outreach for Basketball without Borders Europe.
Led by Boris Diaw of the Phoenix Suns and Luol Deng of the Chicago Bulls, Basketball without Borders Europe will feature the opening of two renovated basketball courts in Sarcelles, a visit to the National Hospital of Saint Maurice, a basketball clinic at the Institut National du Sport et de l'Education Physique (INSEP) and Life Skills seminars that address issues such as HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention, announced the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the International Basketball Federation (FIBA).
Making its first visit to France, Basketball without Borders Europe is scheduled to take place August 6-10 at the Stade Pierre de Coubertin in Paris. The program, a basketball instructional camp for young people that also promotes friendship, healthy living and education, features current and former NBA players and team personnel as camp coaches for 50 young athletes (18 and under) from 26 countries across Europe.
The camp will tip off with daily motivational Life Skills seminars featuring NBA personnel that promote education, leadership, character development, healthy living and HIV/AIDS education. The HIV/AIDS and healthy lifestyle interactive educational seminar will be led by NBA Cares community partner United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the world’s leading governmental organization dedicated to children.
In addition to the Life Skills seminars for campers, NBA players and coaches will head out into the community each day. NBA Cares activities will tip off Monday, August 6 when the NBA players grant the wishes of a 'Make a Wish' teenager whose dream is to meet the NBA stars.
Following the meet and greet, and in partnership with the town of Sarcelles and Powerade, sports drink, the NBA will unveil and dedicate two refurbished outdoor basketball courts in Sarcelles. The basketball courts will be officially opened by representatives of the town and NBA players and coaches, who will also hold a basketball clinic for children from the local community on their new courts.
In conjunction with the Association 'Agence pour l'Education par le Sport' and the Evens Foundation, NBA players and coaches will also make a visit to the National Hospital of Saint Maurice, an orthopedic rehabilitation center for children, on Wednesday, August 8. During the visit the players and coaches will hold mini-basketball clinics, stress the importance of reading and education and dedicate the new sports equipment that the NBA recently purchased.
On Thursday, August 9, in partnership with the French Ministry of Health, Youth & Sports and the French Basketball Federation (FFBB), the NBA will host a basketball clinic and leadership seminar for children at INSEP, the world renowned French sports academy in Paris. The children, who are from the French Ministry of Health, Youth & Sports "Solidar'Eté" program and from free basketball camps run by the FFBB, will also attend the Basketball without Borders Europe All-Star Game at the Stade Pierre de Coubertin on August 10 along with other community organizations.
Through Basketball without Borders, 45 Live, Learn & Play Centers have been opened outside the United States and Canada. To date, the NBA and its teams have created 185 places where families and children can live, learn or play.
Co-organized by the NBA and FIBA the camp features Nike, EA SPORTS, HANNspree, Powerade, and Spalding as Marketing Partners for the event. A Basketball without Borders marketing partner since 2002, Nike will again outfit all the camp participants and coaches with Nike footwear and apparel. EA SPORTS will execute a competitive gaming event involving NBA players and BWB campers during one evening session. HANNspree, manufacturer of emotional TV sets, will be the event image provider thanks to their extraordinary screens. Powerade, sports drink, will provide all drinks for the participants and the coaches. NBA Cares, the town of Sarcelles and Powerade will join forces to refurbish two basketball courts in Sarcelles. A special event program will be produced and broadcast by Sport+.
This year's camp will mark a return home for four French NBA players, reinforcing their commitment to their communities. Joining Diaw will be fellow countrymen Los Angeles Lakers forward Ronny Turiaf, Denver Nuggets guard Yakhouba Diawara and Golden State Warriors forward Mickael Pietrus. Other NBA players taking part include Chicago Bulls forward Luol Deng (England) and guard Chris Duhon and Orlando Magic forward Bo Outlaw. Other NBA participants include Jim Eyen, Rory White and Neal Meyer of the Los Angeles Clippers, Brian Hill of the Orlando Magic, Don Newman of the San Antonio Spurs and NBA coach Terry Stotts. Marin Sedlacek (Serbia), who is a FIBA Expert for Europe, Asia and Africa with more than 25 years of coaching experience, will oversee as camp director for the seventh time.
