UAE: NBA coaches in Abu Dhabi to train aspiring basketball players

A new era has just begun in UAE sports with the launch of the Jr. NBA League in Abu Dhabi. This initiative is part of a groundbreaking multiyear partnership between the NBA and the Department of Culture and Tourism — Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), that will see the UAE capital host first-ever pre-season NBA games in October this year.

The youth basketball league will see the participation of 450 boys and girls from local schools across Abu Dhabi.

The league for pupils aged 11-14 will begin on March 5 and the final is scheduled for May 21.

During the opening ceremony, the DCT Abu Dhabi and the NBA also held a draft event that saw each school assigned an NBA team.

The junior NBA league will offer the aspiring basketball players of the country a great platform on which they can learn new shooting, dribbling and passing skills.

Several coaches with NBA and top-level junior basketball experience will visit Abu Dhabi to train the youngsters, hoping to identify world-class talent from the region.

Clyde Drexler, the 10-time NBA All-Star who attended Sunday’s draft event and interacted with the pupils, said the sky’s the limit for the rising stars in the UAE.

“It was great to get on the court and share my love of the game with the boys and girls participating in the first Jr. NBA Abu Dhabi League,” Drexler said.

“Basketball inspired me to reach for my dreams, and I know this programme will do the same for kids in Abu Dhabi. Who knows, the next NBA legend could be found in this league.”

Haya Al Meqbei, a 12-year-old student from Cranleigh School, was excited about the opportunity to learn from top coaches.

“I have loved basketball since I was a child and I am super excited that the Jr. NBA League has been brought to Abu Dhabi,” Al Meqbei said.

“I am happy that so many professional coaches will be training us. This will help me learn shooting, rebounding, passing and dribbling techniques.”

Meanwhile, Fatima Rothaman, 13, an American student at Cranleigh School, says she loves basketball because the sport focuses on teamwork.

“Though I don’t see basketball as a future career, the sport has a special place in my heart,” she said.

“This sport will help me later in my life because any career I will pursue, it will be teaching me how to use these skills.”

But Mohammed Uwais, a 12-year-old student from ADNOC School, Madinat Zayed, doesn’t shy away from revealing his basketball ambitions.

“I liked Kobe Bryant and he was my basketball idol. He was a great legend in the sport,” said Uwais. Benjamin Wooda, Uwais’s schoolmate, said the new league would allow him to chase his NBA dream.

“I love basketball and I think I can go to the NBA. Stephen Curry is my NBA idol. I have watched him for a long time and he plays so well. I want to play the sport like him,” said Wooda.

Mubarak Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman, DCT-Abu Dhabi, is confident that the new initiative will inspire the young generation.

“The Jr. NBA League will inspire boys and girls across the emirate to take part in this highly popular sport. As someone who grew up loving basketball, I know how amazing this sport is,” Al Mubarak said.

“It truly brings communities together, builds teamwork, encourages leadership skills and promotes healthier lifestyles, creating life-long memories along the way which is what Abu Dhabi is all about.”