The NBA and FIBA will bring together Africa's top-100 basketball players for a historic joint-venture basketball camp, community outreach programme, and new reading and learning centre in South Africa. Inas Mazhar writes In an effort to bring together athletics and academics, the National Basketball Association (NBA), and the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), announced recently that a contingent of NBA players from Africa, including New Jersey Nets centre Dikembe Mutombo (Congo), will serve as coaches for the Africa 100 camp, the first of its kind in Africa to incorporate basketball instruction and educational programmes addressing important social issues for the top 100 young players from more than 19 African countries. "I believe it is very important to contribute something back to your homeland and I am very proud to represent the NBA at this camp, which will bring together talented, young Africans from all over the continent for basketball instruction and educational seminars," said Mutombo. "The NBA and its players work very hard to make a difference in the lives of young people, who we support as much as possible." In addition to basketball instruction and competition, the young players -- 16 to 20 years of age -- will share living quarters with their new teammates and participate in daily seminars featuring NBA legend and community Ambassador Bob Lanier. Led by "LoveLife" -- South Africa's national HIV- prevention programme for youth -- the seminars will promote leadership and healthy living, HIV/AIDS and drug abuse education and prevention. "Basketball has the ability to bring people together and address important social issues at the same time," said NBA Commissioner David Stern. "The Africa 100 camp is an example of basketball's reach and the good that can come from gathering participants for learning on and off the court. Together with FIBA and basketball federations around the world, we will continue international camps and clinics to grow our game and contribute to improving life for the participants." The camp, which will take place in Johannesburg, South Africa, from 2-7 September at the American International School of Johannesburg, is coorganised by the NBA, FIBA and Basketball South Africa and various sponsors. Joining Mutombo at the camp will be Portland Trail Blazers centre Ruben Boumtje- Boumtje (Cameroon). Cleveland Cavaliers centre DeSagana (Senegal), Toronoot Rapters centre Mamadou N'diaye (Senegal), Detroit pistons forward- guard Michel Curry, and Philadelphia 76ers assistant coach Alex English. Amadou Fall, director of scouting for the Dallas Mavericks and Sam Vincent, head coach of the South African national team, will be the camp's directors. "Africa 100 camp is designed to promote, expose and strengthen the culture of basketball among the continent's youth," said Vusi Mgobhozi, president of Basketball South Africa. "To build a sustainable interest in the game, this vision aims at continuing the interest in the sport throughout the African continent. It offers an opportunity to advance their playing skill in basketball as well as open doors to further formal education. Africa 100 camp aims to develop the wholesome character of campers. It is now Africa's time, let us stand together, fight HIV/AIDS and bring peace to Africa through the sport of basketball already in existence in 53 nations across Africa." The participants from across Africa, including Angola, Cameroon, Egypt, Lesotho, Mozambique, Senegal and Nigeria will be selected for their basketball skills, leadership abilities and dedication to the sport of basketball by FIBA, in conjunction with participating basketball federations. The NBA and FIBA also will donate NBA products, such as basketballs, rims and nets to local basketball federations. "The Africa 100 camp is a wonderful opportunity for FIBA and the NBA to bring together 100 young promising African talents, who will have a great opportunity to learn from each other and from the experts that FIBA and the NBA will provide for the camp," said FIBA Secretary-General Patrick Baumann. "The camp will help the participants improve their basketball skills and prepare them for the moment when they will hopefully be called to represent their respective country on a basketball court in an international competition. We are thankful for the great support that the NBA, basketball South Africa an, FIBA-Africa and all other national federations that have given to this project, which perfectly matches FIBA's ambition to promote and develop basketball in Africa and to raise its chances of success at the international level." One of the highlights of the camp will be the unveiling of a Reading and Learning Centre at the Ithuteng Trust, a local school for troubled youth, on 4 September. This Reading and Learning Centre; the first to be opened outside North America, will provide thousands of donated books, resource guides, and materials to children attending the Ithuteng school each day. In addition the centre will include a donation of desktop computers, printers, servers and educational software from Dell as part of their Dell Education initiative, as well as multimedia equipment, photos and educational posters provided by the NBA. Lanier and NBA players will also take part in two Read to Achieve reading events in South Africa, where they will sign autographs, answer questions and read to youngsters. "This is a great opportunity to bring our Read to Achieve Message beyond US borders," said Manier, who is also a programme spokesperson and will be part of the centre's unveiling. "We've seen the difference it makes and we know that this centre will touch kids lives for years to come." This will mark the NBA's third trip to South Africa. In 1993, Stern, Mutombo and New Jersey Nets centre Alonzo Mourning were part of an NBA contingent of players, officials, coaches and legends that travelled to Kenya, Zaire and South Africa for basketball youth clinics. In 1997, Mutombo and Mwadi Mabika of the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks were the headliners on a special tour to South Africa where the NBA conducted clinics in Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg.
