NBA: League to join historic development camp in Cuba

In this Jan. 22, 2015 file photo, a Cuban and U.S. flag stand before the start of a press conference on the sidelines of talks between the two nations in Havana, Cuba. The NBA is to co-host a basketball camp in Cuba as relations between the two countries continued to normalize. AP

NEW YORK, United States – The National Basketball Association co-hosts a development camp in Cuba this month, becoming the first US pro sports league to visit the Caribbean country since America announced plans to restore ties with its longtime adversary.

BACKSTORY: Obama: US re-establishing relations with Cuba

Obama: US re-establishing relations with Cuba

The NBA and the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) are co-hosting the camp in Havana April 23-26.

Two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Steve Nash, NBA Global Ambassador Dikembe Mutombo, and WNBA Legend Ticha Penicheiro will lead the four-day camp with the Cuban Men’s and Women’s National Teams, the league said in a statement on Tuesday.

Mutombo, an eight-time NBA All-Star who was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo has long been active in community work and basketball development in Africa.

The camp will also include community outreach projects in association with the Cuban sports ministry (INDER) and the Cuban Basketball Federation (CBF).

‘A great day’

For the first time, the NBA and FIBA will invite two players and one coach from Cuba to participate in the Basketball without Borders camp.

“This is a great day for Cuban basketball and our federation,” said CBF President Ruperto Herrera.

“To have both the NBA and FIBA collaborate on youth instruction and the development of the game in our country is magnificent. We thank the Republic of Cuba and INDER for opening the doors for these basketball camps that will end up benefiting the future of national and international basketball.”

Through NBA Cares, the league’s global social responsibility program, the NBA and FIBA will refurbish three basketball courts and host youth basketball clinics at two Havana locations.

Coaches galore

Orlando Magic Head Coach James Borrego, Utah Jazz Head Coach Quin Snyder, Utah Jazz Assistant Coach Brad Jones, USA Basketball Youth Development Coach Don Showalter, and Director of Basketball Academy of the Americas Victor Ojeda will participate in training camp efforts for the Cuban Men’s and Women’s National Teams at the 18-and-over level and for juniors.

The coaches will be joined by Washington Wizards Vice President of Basketball Administration Tommy Sheppard, New York Knicks Associate Athletic Trainer Anthony Goenaga, and FIBA Americas Referee Geraldo Fontana to host workshops for coaches, trainers, and other sports professionals.

NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum said the league’s Basketball Without Borders program had already shown the game could build bridges between cultures.

“We look forward to sharing the values of our game with Cuban youth and learning together through the common language of sports,” he said.