The Division of Tradition and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) and the Nationwide Basketball Affiliation (NBA) culminated the expanded second season of the Jr. NBA Abu Dhabi League in a finals occasion on 12 March on the NYU Abu Dhabi campus that includes particular appearances by 11-time NBA All-Star Allen Iverson and two-time WNBA champion Lisa Leslie.

Iverson and Leslie had been available to work together with the younger gamers and introduced awards in the course of the closing ceremony, which noticed the second annual Jr. NBA Abu Dhabi League champions topped, Cranleigh College for the women crew, the boys league A went to American Group College (ACS) and the boys league B went to the Australian College of Abu Dhabi.

The Jr. NBA Abu Dhabi League expanded from 30 groups in its inaugural season in March 2022 to 60 groups for this season. The programme is a part of a groundbreaking multiyear partnership between the NBA and DCT Abu Dhabi that noticed Abu Dhabi host the first-ever preseason NBA video games within the Arabian Gulf in October 2022.

A 14-year NBA veteran, Iverson was named the NBA Most Precious Participant in 2001, named to the All-NBA First and Second Groups thrice every and was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Corridor of Fame in 2016. Leslie is an eight-time WNBA All-Star throughout 11 seasons within the league, a three-time WNBA MVP, a four-time Olympic gold medalist and was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Corridor of Fame in 2015.

The Jr. NBA is the league’s international youth basketball programme for girls and boys, educating the basic abilities and core values of the sport – teamwork, respect, dedication and neighborhood – on the grassroots stage in an effort to assist develop and enhance the youth basketball expertise for gamers, coaches and fogeys.  The Jr. NBA Abu Dhabi League goals to advertise the values of the sport and encourage youth to guide an lively and wholesome way of life via participation in sport.

The partnership additionally sees DCT Abu Dhabi, beneath “Expertise Abu Dhabi”, the tourism promotion initiative of the UAE’s capital, function the Official Tourism Vacation spot Associate of the NBA within the Center East, North Africa, Europe and China.

For extra info on the Jr. NBA Abu Dhabi League, which is operated by Gulf Sports activities Media FZ LLC (buying and selling as Sport360), go to OWQLO and observe the NBA and Jr. NBA on Fb (Fb.com/jrnba), Instagram (@jrnba and @nbaarabic), Twitter (@jrnba and @nbaarabic) and Snapchat (@nbaarabic). Followers may also obtain the NBA App for information, updates, scores, stats and movies and buy the newest NBA merchandise on the NBA Retailer positioned at Yas Mall on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi.