The National Basketball Association (NBA), which is also involved in the national grass-roots programme in India, has taken a new initiative to nurture basketball talent in India.
It has decided to launch the NBA Academy India for 24 junior boys, in the age group upwards of 13 and for this purpose it will set up the Elite Basketball Training Centre in the Delhi National Capital Region (NCR). The programme is set to start in April 2017.
The NBA also has plans to roll out a programme for junior girls in order to shape their career in the sport. Since 2013, the NBA has engaged - through the Reliance Foundation Junior NBA programme - three and half million boys and girls and trained 3000 E-teachers for teaching basketball.
"The NBA Academy India will be an elite basketball training centre to identify home grown prospects and shape the next generation of national players. This acadmey is one of its kind. This is the first time that a global sporting league has invested in starting a fully funded professional academy and it will be for the top male and female international prospects in India,'' said Yannick Colaco, Managing Director, NBA India.
From December, the NBA will conduct a national scouting programme to identify the 24 boys for academy scholarships. The academy will provide the boys with world-class training and coaching, academic support and also lay emphasis on life skills.
Brooks Meek, Vice-President, International Basketball Operations, NBA, said, "The NBA remains committed to growing the game in India and the launch of the academy marks our most significant investment in bastketball development in the market. The critical component (of the programme) which is compelling is that Indian athletes are going to have NBA trained coaches who will have a sustainable influence over the development of the juniors.''
Recently the NBA launched three academies in China (Hangzhou, Jinan and Urumqi) and at the Basketball Australia's Centre for Excellence at the Australian Institute of Sport.
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