Basketball Without Borders Asia Camp in Tokyo begins today with four Indian players

64 best young basketball prospects - boys and girls - from around Asia and Oceania will attend the 2019 Basketball Without Borders Asia Camp, set to be held in Tokyo, Japan, from August 14-17. Organised together by FIBA and the NBA, the camp will feature several current/former NBA/WNBA players and coaches.

Four Indian players have been invited to this edition of the camp: Siya Deodhar (Nagpur), Amaan Sandhu (Mohali), Harsimran Kaur (Jalandhar) and Arvinder Singh (Barnala). This is the second invited for Deodhar and Sandhu for the BWB Asia Camp, after last year's event that was held in home grounds in Greater Noida's NBA Academy India.

NBA/WNBA players/coaches leading this camp will include: Sam Cassell, Kevon Looney (Golden State Warriors), Robin Lopez (Milwaukee Bucks) Yuta Tabuse (formerly of the Phoenix Suns; Japan), Ashley Battle, Allison Feaster, Yolanda Moore, Pat Delany (Orlando Magic), Bryan Gates (Minnesota Timberwolves), Antonio Lang (Cleveland Cavaliers) and Wes Unseld Jr. (Denver Nuggets). Patrick Hunt (President of the World Association of Basketball Coaches; Australia) will be the camp director and Jeff Tanaka (Chicago Bulls) will serve as the camp’s athletic trainer.

Last year's India's Sanjana Ramesh won the girls' MVP honours at the 2018 BWB Asia Camp in India.

Hoopdarshan Episode 72: Sanjana Ramesh on upcoming NCAA D1 journey + next year's NBA India Games

Episode 72 of Hoopdarshan comes around Christmas and New Year's with a double dose of gifts for the holidays. We are joined by Sanjana Ramesh - the Beagles Mamba - who discussed receiving a NCAA D1 scholarship from Northern Arizona, her basketball journey in Bengaluru, and her favourite dosas. Hosts Kaushik Lakshman and Karan Madhok also discuss the impact of the historic first NBA preseason games between the Kings and Pacers coming to Mumbai next year.

Ramesh (17), the youngest guest yet on Hoopdarshan, has joined an exclusive club by becoming only the second Indian to be offered a scholarship by an NCAA D1 team. She will join Northern Arizona next year. Originally from Bengaluru, the talented all rounder has featured in India's U16 Women's team, the senior team for the William Jones Cup, and earlier this year, won the MVP of the Basketball Without Borders Asia Camp in Greater Noida.



Hoopdarshan is the truest voice of Indian basketball, and since we're such hopeless fans of the game, it will become the voice of everything basketball related we love, from the NBA to international hoops, too. On every episode of Hoopdarshan, we will be inviting a special guest to interview or chat to about a variety of topics. With expert insight from some of the brightest and most-involved people in the world of Indian basketball, we hope to bring this conversation to a many more interested fans, players, and followers of the game.

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Sanjana Ramesh joins Northern Arizona University to become only the second Indian woman in NCAA D1 Basketball

Sanjana Ramesh (17), a talented all-rounder on the court, had been simmering in the Indian basketball circles for the past year. In 2017, she played a small but crucial role as India won Division B of the FIBA U16 Asia Championship, in front of her hometown fans in Bengaluru. Her potential made her one of the recruits for the NBA Academy's first-ever women's camp in Greater Noida this summer. And a few days after this camp, as she participated in the larger Basketball Without Borders event among some of the most gifted young players in Asia, Ramesh exploded to rise above the rest, winning camp MVP and putting the country on notice.

But she took her biggest leap yet this week, when news broke from across the pond that the Northern Arizona University's women's basketball programme - a team in the Big Sky Conference of NCAA's Division 1 in the USA - have handed one of their two scholarships to bring Ramesh to their programme. After signing the National Letter of Intent with the 'Lumberjacks', Ramesh has become only the second Indian-born player ever to receive basketball scholarship for a Division 1 team, after Kavita Akula at the Grand Canyon University.

On Wednesday, head coach Loree Payne announced Sanjana Ramesh and Emily Rodabaugh (Lynnwood, Washington State) as the newest Lumberjacks, after the pair signed their NLI. Both Ramesh and Rodabaugh will be incoming freshmen for the 2019-20 season.

"With only two scholarships, we had to get two impact players and we did," said Payne said. "We got two players who have the potential to impact our program right away. Both fit our style of play, can get up and down the floor and are very versatile. They can play on the perimeter and can play on the inside. We pride ourselves on player development, and there is no ceiling to how great these two players can be."

Ramesh, a 6'0" forward, averaged 6.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game for India's U16 squad at last years U16 FIBA Asia Championship. She made her senior team debut for India at the 2018 William Jones Cup in Chinese Taipei this summer, where she endured an anterior cruciate ligament tear to her knee. She had surgery on the knee in August.

"Sanjana is an athlete who has international and national experience in India," Payne said. "We’re trying to get our foot in the door in the international recruiting scene and for us, Sanjana is everything we’re looking for. She’s a joyful kid and very thankful for the opportunity to come here and she’s going to be a heck of a player. Her potential is limitless."

The Northern Arizona Universiy's main campus at the base of the San Francisco Peaks in Flagstaff, Arizona. Last season was coach Payne's first with NAU. The Lumberjacks finished the season with a 7-23 overall record, and their season came to an end in the first round of the Big Sky Championships to Portland State.

NBA Academy's first-ever Women's Camp concludes in India with MVP awards for Sanjana Ramesh and Vaishnavi Yadav

Last year, the NBA launched its first-ever elite basketball Academy in India - at the Jaypee Greens Integrated Sports Complex in Greater Noida - with the mission to train and educate the top young prospects from the country. The first year of the Academy housed a few dozen players in the facility, who received world-class coaching and took part in several major basketball tournaments. But all these players were young boys, while their female counterparts still waited for their opportunity.

This week, the Academy took a major step forward with a programme for some of the best young female prospects in India. The first-ever NBA Academy Women’s camp was held at the facility in Greater Noida from May 27-29, featuring international women's basketball legends, coaches, and Indian basketball stars in attendance. The camp concluded on Tuesday, May 29 with a championship game between 'Team Liberty' and 'Team Sparks', won by Liberty 18-8.

After the game, Sanjana Ramesh of Bengaluru and Vaishnavi Yadav from Allahabad were named the camp's Co-MVPs. Other award-winners included Siya Deodhar (Most Improved Player), Grishma Niranjan (Sharp Shooter), Rajvi Desai (Defensive Player), Pushpa Senthil Award (Sportsmanship and Leadership Skills) and Khushi Dongre (Best Teammate).

For the past three days, the 18 top female prospects from across India received training from 1996 Olympic Gold Medalist and Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame member Jennifer Azzi, 2004 Olympic Gold Medalist and two-time WNBA Champion Ruth Riley, former WNBA player Ebony Hoffman and former college coach Blair Hardiek, along with former Indian women’s basketball team captain Divya Singh.

"These three days have been the best of my life," said Ramesh. "Honestly, every player here is an MVP. We all have improved and I am really grateful to win this award. The camp has taught us so much about team spirit and unity and that’s something that I am going to take back from here."

"It’s a dream come true to win this award, especially in a camp organised by the NBA," said Yadav. "The three days here have taught me so much more than I have learnt in past. I am pretty sure I will only improve as a player from here on."

Starting on Wednesday, the Academy will host the 2018 Basketball Without Borders Asia camp for 66 participants from 16 countries across Asia. A number of former NBA/WNBA players, international coaches, and Indian basketball stars will assist with this event. The 18 prospects from the Women's camp are also set to remain at the Academy to take part in BWB 2018.

NBA, FIBA, and the BFI to host second-ever Basketball Without Borders Asia Camp In India

A decade ago, the NBA took its first major chance in India, allowing the country to host the Basketball Without Borders Asia Camp - a prestigious event to scout and develop the best youth players in the continent - in New Delhi. The camp was a success, showcasing India's growing basketball prowess. The top players from 2008 emerged to be camp MVP Vishesh Bhriguvanshi, a guard from Varanasi who went on to carve a place for himself among Indian basketball greats and captain the national team. The NBA accelerated their devotion to India right after, hosting massive grassroots development programmes, elite national camps, a world-class academy, and involving the assistance of some of the league's top players to promote basketball in India.

10 years later, India gets a chance to start a new cycle of potential success.

On Friday, May 11, the NBA joined hands with the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and the Basketball Federation of India (BFI) to announced that Basketball Without Borders (BWB) Asia 2018 will be held May 30 – June 2 at The NBA Academy India in Delhi National Capital Region (NCR), marking the second time that the NBA and FIBA’s global basketball development and community outreach programme will be held in India.

"Ten years ago, India hosted its first-ever Basketball Without Borders Asia camp in New Delhi,” said FIBA National Federations and Sport Director Zoran Radovic. "We’re excited to return to the world’s second-most populous country where basketball has really taken off over the past decade. The sport is growing extremely fast and there are great development opportunities for boys and girls. We look forward to teaming up with the Basketball Federation of India and the sport’s wider community in India so that basketball can achieve its full potential in the country."

BWB Asia 2018 will bring together the top male and female players ages 17 and under from throughout the Asia-Pacific region to learn directly from NBA and FIBA players, legends and coaches and to compete against the best young players from the region.

As a new addition to the programme, the NBA and the BFI also today announced that from May 27 – 29, The NBA Academy India will host a basketball development camp for top female prospects from throughout India as part of The NBA Academies Women’s Programme. The NBA and the BFI will identify 20-25 female prospects ages 17 and under to attend the camp. 1996 Olympic Gold Medalist and Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame member Jennifer Azzi, two-time WNBA Champion Ruth Riley and former college coach Blair Hardiek – the global technical directors for women’s programming across the league’s seven academies – will oversee the camp.

"It is a great pleasure for the Basketball Federation of India to get the opportunity to host another BWB camp in India," said BFI President K. Govindaraj. "This will be a great learning experience for all the young and talented players from India as they will be under the guidance of few of the best basketball trainers in the world, which will help them grow as basketball players and make their country proud in the future. Another outstanding effort put in by the NBA Academy that is really appreciated by the Basketball Federation of India is the development camp for the top female prospects in the country, as it will help not only grow the players but also women’s basketball in India. We are already seeing the development of the sport here since the beginning of the NBA Academy in India and the Basketball Federation of India is ready to support the NBA as much as we can."

BWB Asia 2018 and The NBA Academies Women’s Program camp will also include a variety of NBA Cares and Jr. NBA community outreach efforts with youth in New Delhi in partnership with local community organisations. These programs 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. Nike, a BWB global partner since 2002, will outfit the campers and coaches with Nike apparel and footwear.

"It has been an exciting year for our youth basketball development programs in India, including the expansion of The Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA Program, the launch of The NBA Academy India, the opening of NBA Basketball Schools and now the return of Basketball Without Borders to India for the first time since 2008," said NBA India Managing Director Yannick Colaco. “We’re looking forward to hosting talented male and female players from throughout India and the Asia-Pacific region this May as part of Basketball Without Borders and The NBA Academies Women’s Program, and we thank FIBA and the BFI for supporting our continued efforts to grow basketball across the country."

BWB has reached more than 3,190 participants from 127 countries and territories since 2001, with more than 50 former campers drafted into the NBA or signed as free agents. A record 24 former BWB campers were on opening-night rosters for the 2017-18 season. The NBA and FIBA have staged 53 BWB camps in 33 cities across 27 countries on six continents. More than 250 current and former NBA, WNBA and FIBA players have joined more than 200 NBA team personnel from all 30 NBA teams to support BWB across the world.

The NBA Academy India, an elite basketball training center in Delhi NCR for the top male and female prospects from throughout India and the first of its kind in the country, officially opened in May 2017 and builds on the NBA’s existing basketball and youth development initiatives in India. 

BWB Asia 2018 campers and coaches will be announced prior to the camp. Last year, two young Indian basketball players - Priyanka Prabharaka and Aashay Verma - were among the 67 boys and girls from 32 countries and territories to attend BWB's Global Camp held during the NBA All-Star Weekend in the United States.

Two Indian youngsters in NBA All Star Weekend's Basketball Without Borders Global Camp rosters

The NBA All Star Weekend features the best talent in the world: the NBA's finest and most-popular players, the best shooters, dunkers, dribblers, and the entire larger multiverse of basketball. But in 2015, the All Star Weekend added a taste of the world basketball's future to the festivities, too, with the addition of the Basketball Without Borders (BWB) Global Camp. The camp brings together more than 50 of the most-talented high-school age boys and girls from outside the US to the All Star Weekend for an elite training session and the opportunity to be a part of the All Star experience.

There is good news this year: the rosters of the BWB Global Camp were revealed on Tuesday, and two young Indian basketball players - Priyanka Prabharaka and Aashay Verma - will be among the 67 boys and girls from 32 countries and territories heading to New Orleans for the NBA All Star Weekend from February 17-19.

Priyanka Prabharaka (18) is a 5'10" shooting guard from Nemmara (Kerala) who represented India at the 2016 FIBA Asia U18 Championship for Women in Bangkok. She was an important starter for the team led India in rebounds (8.2 rpg) in the tournament.

Aashay Verma (17) is a 7'1" center from Hyderabad who was chosen by NBA/FIBA to be one of three Indians in last year's BWB Asia camp in Melbourne (Australia). Verma is reportedly new to the game but showed great potential at the camp.

The coaching participants at the All Star BWB Global Camp will include Cheick Diallo (Pelicans), Wayne Ellington (Miami Heat), Justin Holiday (New York Knicks), Meyers Leonard (Portland Trail Blazers), Thon Maker (Milwaukee Bucks) and Emmanuel Mudiay (Denver Nuggets). Current NBA assistant coaches Joe Connelly (Denver Nuggets), Jay Hernandez (Orlando Magic) and Fred Vinson (New Orleans Pelicans), along with Brooklyn Nets scout and NBA D-League Assistant GM Matt Riccardi, will also serve as BWB Global coaches. Patrick Hunt (President of the World Association of Basketball Coaches; Australia), Gersson Rosas (Houston Rockets; Colombia), Marin Sedlacek (Philadelphia 76ers; Serbia) and Masai Ujiri (Toronto Raptors; Nigeria) will serve as camp directors. Former NBA trainer Wally Blase (U.S.) will serve as the camp’s athletic trainer.

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Players and coaches will lead the campers through a variety of activities on and off the court, including movement efficiency, positional skill development, 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 Global Camp MVPs at the conclusion of the three-day camp.
The campers will attend the BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge, State Farm NBA All-Star Saturday Night, and the 66th NBA All-Star Game at Smoothie King Center.

This camp is a great opportunity for Prabhakara and Verma to learn in the presence of NBA players, coaches, and other great young players from around the world. Hopefully, this experience can help improve their game as their future potential.

Three young Indians chosen for NBA's Basketball Without Borders Asia 2016 camp in Australia

Bringing together the best youth basketball talents in the Asia-Pacific region for an elite camp, the NBA's Basketball Without Borders (BWB) Asia 2016 camp is set to be held in Melbourne (Australia) from June 23-26. Three promising Indian players - Baladhaneshwar Poiyamozhi, Aashay Verma, and Sahil - have been chosen for the four-day camp, which will also feature numerous current and former NBA stars. The 2016 BWB Asia is being coordinated between the NBA, FIBA, and Australia's National Basketball League (NBL).

All three Indian players will be a part of the top 45 male players - born between 1999-2001 - selected from 17 countries for the training scheduled to be held at Dandenong Basketball Stadium in Melbourne.

In the Indian contingent, Poiyamozhi is clearly the most exciting prospect. The shooting guard from Tamil Nadu recently captained India's U18 squad as they won the South Asian Basketball championship in Bangladesh to qualify for the FIBA Asia U18 Championship. Poiyamozhi has been part of Tamil Nadu's back-to-back champion junior squad and was India's shining bright spark at the FIBA Asia U16 championship last year. Aashay Verma is a 7-foot-2 center from Hyderabad and Sahil represents Punjab. All the three were selected from various BWB camps conducted by the NBA-India across the country.

A large number of NBA players and legends - especially those with Australia connections - will be mentoring the young players at the camp, including Aron Baynes (Detroit Pistons, Australia), Dante Exum (Utah Jazz, Australia), Joe Ingles (Utah Jazz; Australia), Khris Middleton (Milwaukee Bucks, US), and Patty Mills (San Antonio Spurs, Australia). NBA legend David Robinson, his former Spurs teammate Bruce Bowen, and former All Star and Raptors' Assistant Coach Jerry Stackhouse will be coaching at the camp, too. President of the World Association of Basketball Coaches Patrick Hunt will serve as camp director.

Three Indian players at Basketball Without Borders Asia Camp in Taipei

Every year, a small number of the most talented young basketball players blessed with star potential are invited to one of the NBA and FIBA organized 'Basketball Without Borders' (BWB) camps around the world. This year, for the first time, the Basketball Without Borders Asia camp is being held in Taipei, Taiwan. A small group of current and former NBA players are set to be at the helm of this camp, overseeing and training the future generation of Asian and Oceania stars, a generation that consists of three players who have been invited from India: Vishal Gupta (Andhra Pradesh), Ashish Briggs (Madhya Pradesh), and Mahipal Singh (Rajasthan).

Photo courtesy: Troy Justice

The camp is being held in Taipei from June 13-16 this year. NBA players invited to the camp include Nicolas Batum (Portland Trail Blazers), John Salmons (Toronto Raptors), Ronny Turiaf (Minnesota Timberwolves), and Cody Zeller (Charlotte Bobcats). The biggest presence - literally and figuratively - will be of NBA Legend Yao Ming. Yao is the greatest Asian to ever play the game, was the cornerstone of China's national team, and played nine years with the Houston Rockets.

Gupta, Briggs, and Singh will be among 50 of the top young players from Asia and Oceania. The Business Standard interviewed some of the Indian players prior to the beginning of the camp:

"Training at the BWB camp will make a lot of difference in my style of play, and it will be an unparalleled experience to interact with NBA legend Yao Ming and the other stars making their way to the camp," said Gupta.
"Hailing from a small town like Ujjain, one can only dream of visiting such international camps and learning the technical aspects of the game from the best players in the world. I can't wait to be there and learn as much I can in those four days," said Briggs.

This year, BWB camps have already been held in Rome and Italy. The last camp is scheduled to be held in South Africa in the first week of August.

Asia’s Finest: The past, present, and future of Asian Players in the NBA

On the launch of the Basketball Without Borders Asia camp in Tokyo – a 4-day event where current and former NBA players interact and train young Asian hopefuls – the NBA’s Senior Vice President Kim Bohuny held the firm opinion that Asia’s will have definitely have a future presence in the world’s best basketball league.

“I wouldn’t say that Asia is underrepresented,” Bohuny said, “What the NBA would like to do is just really work with FIBA and FIBA Asia to invest in development here. You have many talented young players and I really believe that the future of the region is very bright.”

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2 Indian Youngsters chosen for 2012 Basketball Without Borders – Asia camp in Japan

Two up-and-coming Indian junior basketball players – Amit Kanarjee (Madhya Pradesh) and Palpreet Singh Brar (Punjab) – have been selected to attend the 2012 Basketball Without Borders (BWB) – Asia camp in Tokyo, Japan. The four-day camp started on Wednesday, June 13 and will conclude on June 17th, 2012.

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