The National Basketball Association (NBA) announced that the third NBA Academy Games – a series of exhibition games featuring prospects from the seven NBA Academies and other teams – will take place Tuesday, July 9 – Sunday, July 14 at the Emory Sports Medicine Complex, the official practice facility of the Atlanta Hawks, in Atlanta, Ga, marking the first time the NBA Academy Games will take place in the U.S.
The series of exhibition games will feature prospects from the NBA Academies in Australia, China, India, Mexico and Senegal, along with two select teams of top international prospects. In addition to being open to NBA team personnel, the NCAA-certified event will be held during an NCAA live recruiting period and will be open to NCAA coaches from Thursday, July 11 at 1:00 p.m. ET – Sunday, July 14 at 6:00 p.m. ET.
In addition to exhibition games between the NBA Academies and international select teams, the third NBA Academy Games will feature NBA Academy coaches leading the prospects through a variety of activities, including movement efficiency training, anthropometric and athletic testing, and daily life-skills seminars focusing on health and wellness, leadership and communication.
NBA Academies – a signature elite player development initiative for the NBA – employ a holistic, 360-degree approach to player development with focuses on leadership, health and wellness, character development, life skills, and educational development for top male and female prospects from outside the U.S. The initiative exposes elite prospects to NBA-level coaching and facilities, while providing a global framework for them to maximize their success.
Since October 2016, NBA Academies have been launched in Canberra, Australia; Jinan, Urumqi and Zhuji, China; Delhi National Capital Region (NCR), India; Mexico City, Mexico; and Saly, Senegal. More than 10 NBA Academies graduates have committed to NCAA Division I schools.
The two previous NBA Academy Games were held at The NBA Global Academy, an elite basketball training center at Basketball Australia’s Centre of Excellence at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra, which serves as the NBA’s hub for top male and female prospects from outside the U.S.
Find out more about NBA Academies at nbaacademy.nba.com, on Twitter @NBAAcademyPR, and on Instagram (nbaacademy).
