The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) and the National Basketball Association (NBA) concluded the expanded second season of the Junior NBA Abu Dhabi League at a finale event on March 12 at NYU Abu Dhabi, featuring a special NBA- appearances by 11-time All-Star Allen Iverson and two-time WNBA champion Lisa Leslie.
Iverson and Leslie were on hand to mingle with the young players and present awards at the closing ceremony, which crowned the second annual Junior NBA Abu Dhabi League champions, Cranleigh School for the girls’ team, the boys’ League A went to American Community School. (ACS) and the Boys’ B League went to the Australian School in Abu Dhabi.
The Junior NBA Abu Dhabi League has expanded from 30 teams in its inaugural season in March 2022 to 60 teams for this season. The program is part of a groundbreaking multi-year partnership between the NBA and DCT Abu Dhabi, which will see Abu Dhabi host the first NBA preseason games in the Arabian Gulf in October 2022.
A 14-year NBA veteran, Iverson was named the 2001 NBA Most Valuable Player, a three-time first- and second-team All-NBA selection and a 2016 inductee into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Leslie made eight appearances. A WNBA All-Star for 11 seasons in the league, three-time WNBA MVP, four-time Olympic gold medalist and 2015 inductee into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
Jr. NBA is the league’s global youth basketball program for boys and girls that teaches the core skills and core values ​​of the game – teamwork, respect, determination and community – at the grassroots level in an effort to promote the growth and improvement of youth basketball. experience for players, coaches and parents. The Junior NBA Abu Dhabi League aims to promote the values ​​of the game and encourage young people to lead an active and healthy lifestyle through participation in sports.
The partnership also sees DCT Abu Dhabi, under Experience Abu Dhabi, the UAE capital’s tourism promotion initiative, serving as the NBA’s official tourism partner in the Middle East, North Africa, Europe and China.
For more information on the Jr. NBA Abu Dhabi League, managed by Gulf Sports Media FZ LLC (trading as Sport360), visit OWQLO and follow the NBA and Jr. NBA on Facebook (Facebook.com/jrnba), Instagram (@jrnba and @nbaarabic), Twitter (@jrnba: and: @nbaarabic:) and Snapchat (@nbaarabic). Fans can also download the NBA app for news, updates, scores, stats and videos and shop the latest NBA merchandise at the NBA Store at Yas Mall on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi.