The National Basketball Association and Basketball Australia have announced the official opening of NBA Global Academy, an elite basketball training centre at the Centre of Excellence at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra.
The academy will serve as the NBA's hub for top male and female prospects from outside the United States.
The NBA and BA also announced the first NBA Academy Games, which will begin on Saturday and run through June 30 at the NBA Global Academy. The series of exhibition games will include prospects from NBA Global Academy, NBA Academies in Africa, China and India, along with a team from the Centre of Excellence and Australian youth teams. In addition to exhibition games between the academies and Australian teams, the NBA Academy Games will feature academy coaches leading the prospects through a variety of activities on and off the court, including movement efficiency, positional skill development, and daily life skills seminars focusing on health, leadership and communication.
"Basketball Australia is delighted to partner in this venture, which will enable our world-class coaches and athletes to share their knowledge with the NBA," Basketball Australia chief executive officer Anthony Moore said.
"Our Centre of Excellence has an incredible track record of producing athletes who can compete on the international stage. We are honoured to be hosting NBA Global Academy and helping to develop promising young talent from around the world."
NBA Vice President, International Basketball Operations & Head of Elite Basketball, Brooks Meek said that Basketball Australia's "internationally recognised coaches have successfully developed top prospects for many decades ... we're looking forward to working with BA on this initiative and conducting the first NBA Academy Games."
The opening of the NBA Global Academy in Canberra follows the launch of academies in Hangzhou, Jinan and Urumqi in China; Thies in Senegal; and Delhi National Capital Region in India.