RELIANCE FOUNDATION JR. NBA PROGRAM IN INDIA RETURNS FOR 10th CONSECUTIVE YEAR

• 2023 Program Tips Off on July 22 and Will Take Place in 14 Cities Across India,
• Culminating with the National Championship in September –
•  10th Edition of Program Will Feature Basketball Development Events for Youth, Coaches and Teachers Nationwide, Including 3-on-3 Tournaments for the First Time

Khel Today Bureau 

MUMBAI:  The National Basketball Association (NBA) and Reliance Foundation (RF), a non-profit organization that supports various philanthropic initiatives of Reliance Industries Limited, today announced that the 10th consecutive year of the RF Jr. NBA program will tip off on Friday, July 22 and will feature free, nationwide basketball development clinics and tournaments for youth, coaches and teachers. The RF Jr. NBA program is a comprehensive youth basketball development initiative that teaches the values and fundamentals of basketball to positively impact the lives of Indian youth.

This year’s program will feature: RF Jr. NBA National Championship Tournament – For the first time, the NBA and RF will conduct 3-on-3 tournaments for U-12 and U-14 youth in 14 cities across India – Chennai, Kottayam, Mumbai, Kochi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Pune, Chandigarh, Ludhiana, Lucknow, Delhi, Aizawl and Jamshedpur – culminating with the RF Jr. NBA National Championship in Delhi in September that will crown the boys and girls U-12 and U-14 RF Jr. NBA national champions.

RF Jr. NBA Coaches Clinics – The NBA and RF will host in-person and virtual clinics for local coaches and physical education teachers that will teach techniques and best practices for team and player development at any level, including strength and conditioning, mental well-being and nutrition.

RF Jr. NBA RISE – The NBA and RF will offer additional training opportunities to select standout players in Aizawl and Chennai, as 10 boys and 10 girls from each city will be selected to participate in fortnightly weekend clinics throughout the year. Participants will also receive complimentary basketball equipment to support their training and development.

“Basketball has a vast followership in India across varied geographies, with immense potential amongst young talent to pursue the sport,” said a Reliance Foundation spokesperson. “We are pleased to work with NBA India to develop and make the sport more accessible with the Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA program. Reliance Foundation aims at developing the sports ecosystem in the country to make India a multi-sport nation. Our decade-long collaboration is a testament to the common vision we share, through which we have been able to impact millions of children, train hundreds of coaches, and support communities with our expertise and knowledge. We look forward to this year, which promises to be even more exciting with new additions to the program, offering more opportunities and exposure.”

“We’re excited to launch the 10th edition of the Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA basketball program in India, which over the past decade has engaged millions of children and educators across the country and provided them with the resources to develop as players and leaders,” said NBA India Country Head Rajah Chaudhry. “We’re especially looking forward to introducing new and impactful formats, programs and clinics as part of this year’s edition, which we believe will build on the positive momentum around basketball in India and inspire more youth to learn and play the game.”

The RF Jr. NBA program has reached more than 11 million youth and 13,000 physical education instructors across 34 cities nationwide since 2013. The program is part of the NBA’s broader basketball development initiatives in India that provide a structured pathway for players to learn the game and maximize their potential. In 2017, the NBA, in conjunction with IOT Sporting Aspiration PVT Ltd, launched in Mumbai its first NBA Basketball School, a network of tuition-based basketball development programs around the world open to male and female players ages 6-18 from outside the U.S. Basketball Without Borders Asia, the NBA and FIBA’s global basketball development and community outreach program, has been held in India twice.

Players, coaches and families can learn more about this year’s RF Jr. NBA program by following the NBA’s social media channels in India (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter). Fans can also download the NBA App for the latest news, updates, scores, stats, schedules, videos and more.

About Reliance Foundation

Reliance Foundation celebrates the spirit of sports – joy, health, grit, determination, winning and losing – and works to ensure that more and more children and youth from all sections of society can play sports and, in the process, build a fitter, stronger and more active India. Our initiatives have touched the lives of over 22 million young people since 2013 across the country from 13,000+ schools and colleges, enabling an opportunity for a talented kid anywhere to be able to achieve their dream of a career/glory in sports. We are especially committed to ensuring more presence and success of girl and women athletes in India and design our programs in a manner that offers them maximum opportunities. At Reliance Foundation, we hope to be the wind beneath the wings of Indian sportspersons and help them reach their true potential.

About the NBA

The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a global sports and media organization with the mission to inspire and connect people everywhere through the power of basketball. Built around five professional sports leagues: the NBA, WNBA, NBA G League, NBA 2K League and Basketball Africa League, the NBA has established a major international presence with games and programming available in 214 countries and territories in more than 50 languages, and merchandise for sale in more than 200 countries and territories on all seven continents. NBA rosters at the start of the 2022-23 season featured 120 international players from 41 countries. NBA Digital’s assets include NBA TV, NBA.com, the NBA App and NBA League Pass. The NBA has created one of the largest social media communities in the world, with 2.1 billion likes and followers globally across all league, team and player platforms. Through NBA Cares, the league addresses important social issues by working with internationally recognized youth-serving organizations that support education, youth and family development, and health-related causes.