NEW YORK, Aug. 5, 2019 – The National Basketball Association (NBA) today announced that AT&T, Beats by Dr. Dre, EA, Fanatics, Gatorade, HomeCourt, Kaiser Permanente, Nike and Spalding are among the partners to provide enhanced resources, development opportunities and special experiences for young athletes at the second Jr. NBA Global Championship, a youth basketball tournament for the top 13- and 14-year-old boys and girls teams from around the world.
During the weeklong event, which will take place Tuesday, Aug. 6 – Sunday, Aug. 11 at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Fla. and air on the FOX Sports family of networks, each partner will provide valuable elements to support the on-court competition or life skills programming centered on the Jr. NBA’s core values of teamwork, respect, determination and community.
• AT&T will be the first to greet fans inside HP Field House at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, welcoming them to the tournament and providing giveaways inside the concourse throughout the weekend.
• Beats by Dr. Dre will keep the players energized throughout the Jr. NBA Global Championship, providing music in the DJ booth at HP Field House and Beats Pill+ speakers in the exclusive Player Lounge, an area for the athletes to relax, recharge and connect with their peers in a casual and fun setting.
• EA, the official partner of the Jr. NBA Global Championship Day of Service, will unveil a newly refurbished court alongside Jr. NBA participants for the greater Orlando community and enhance the Player Lounge with gaming areas for the athletes to enjoy.
• Fanatics, the official retailer of the Jr. NBA Global Championship, will sell an assortment of Jr. NBA Global Championship merchandise at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.
• Gatorade will keep the players and coaches hydrated throughout the week by providing all sideline product, including coolers, carts, cups, towels and sports drinks. Additionally, they will present the Jr. NBA Global Championship Skills Night on Thursday, Aug. 8, featuring skills and three-point competitions and a dunk exhibition, as well as a hydration seminar for all participants.
• HomeCourt, the leading mobile basketball training application, will be integrated into Thursday’s Skills Night to provide three-point contestants with shooting statistics and video footage while all players can compete in exclusive digital shooting and dribbling challenges through the HomeCourt app. Additionally, players and fans will have opportunities throughout the week to participate in onsite dribbling contests at HP Field House and in the Player Lounge.
• Kaiser Permanente will host the Developing the Total Athlete Series, three days of life skills development sessions led by NBA and Kaiser Permanente health experts and supported by NBA and WNBA talent, covering the total health spectrum of mind, body and spirit in a culturally inclusive environment. In addition to the life skills sessions, Kaiser Permanente will provide the athletes with stress relief items, stretching stations, consultations with physicians and a smoothie bar in the Player Lounge.
• Nike, a proud partner of the Jr. NBA Global Championship, will provide premium apparel for all athletes.
• Sky Sports, the NBA’s exclusive broadcast partner and official website operator in the UK and Ireland, will broadcast select games to fans in the UK and Ireland across Sky Sports Arena, Sky Sports Action, Sky Sports Mix and Sky Sports Main Event.
• Sony Pictures Sports Networks will broadcast select games to fans in India on SONY TEN 1 and SONY TEN 2, including eight games featuring the India Boys and India Girls teams.
• Spalding will host two shooting sessions with professional shooting coach Chris Matthews, consisting of various shooting drills and demonstrations for the youth participants. Spalding will also provide basketballs, nets and ball carts for games and practices.
• Tencent, the exclusive official digital partner of the NBA in China, and China Mobile Migu, the official telecom carrier immersion platform of the NBA in China, will stream select games in China.
• YouTube – The NBA Africa YouTube channel, the NBA’s first YouTube channel dedicated to fans in sub-Saharan Africa, will broadcast seven games throughout the week including the Global Championship games on Aug. 11.
Supported by long-time league partners FIBA and USA Basketball, the Jr. NBA Global Championship will bring together the top 32 boys and girls teams (16 U.S. and 16 international) that advanced from regional competitions earlier this year that collectively reached more than 15,000 youth from 75 countries. The 16 international teams (eight boys and eight girls teams) represent Africa, Asia Pacific, Canada, China, Europe & Middle East, India, Latin America and Mexico, while the 16 U.S. teams hail from Central, Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, Northeast, Northwest, South, Southeast and West regions.
Additionally, all Jr. NBA Global Championship teams will get to visit NBA Experience, the brand-new destination opening at Disney Springs at Walt Disney World Resort on Aug. 12, packed with 13 interactive elements and hands-on activities across 44,000 square feet and two floors.
