Boys register for the Jr. NBA Vietnam at the Hồ Xuân Hương Stadium in HCM City on March 5. – VNS Photo courtesy of organisers.

HCM CITY – Jr. NBA, the NBA’s global youth development program that promotes basketball participation and an active lifestyle among children, has returned to Việt Nam for the third consecutive year beginning March 5. 
 
The expanded program will reach more than 200 schools in Việt Nam with clinics in HCM City and Hà Nội. 
 
The programme will run through June 2016 and engage more than 4,500 boys and girls.
 
Participants will be trained in the fundamentals of basketball and learn “the importance of the Jr. NBA’s core values, including sportsmanship, teamwork, a positive attitude, and respect (S.T.A.R.) lessons that will prepare them not just for the game of basketball, but for life itself,” said Jim Wong, senior director of Marketing Partnerships NBA Asia at the opening ceremony in HCM City last Saturday.
 
The program tipped off with a coaches clinic and an open clinic for kids at the Hồ Xuân Hương Stadium in HCM City on March 5 and at the Vin School in Hà Nội on March 12. 
 
A series of school clinics will be conducted leading up to the selection camp on April 9, where the top 40 boys and top 24 girls aged between 10 and 14 will be chosen to participate in the Jr. NBA National Training Camp in HCM City in June 17-19. 
 
The National Training Camp will once again be attended by an NBA legend or current player and feature an NBA Cares community outreach event.  The program will culminate with the selection of 10 boys and five girls, who will be named as 2016 Jr. NBA Vietnam All-Stars.  These standout campers will embark on a unique, overseas NBA experience together with fellow Jr. NBA All-Stars from Southeast Asia later in the year.  
 
“Of the 3,500 participants we had last year, 14 standout participants were named as Jr. NBA All-Stars and embarked on an unforgettable trip to Shenzhen, China with fellow Jr. NBA All-Stars from Southeast Asia,” Wong said.
 
The program is free and open to boys and girls ages 5-14.  Players between the ages of 10-14 will be eligible for the top selection during the selection camp and National Training Camp. 
 
During the 2015-16 seasons, the Jr. NBA will reach more than 6.5 million youth in 32 countries.
 
Registration for the coaches clinic, open clinics and selection camp is available through the official event website at www.jrnba.asia/Việtnam.  Fans can follow Jr. NBA on Facebook at www.facebook.com/jrnbaViệtnam.
 
The NBA is a global sports and media business built around three professional sports leagues -- the National Basketball Association, the Women’s National Basketball Association, and the NBA Development League. 
 
Dutch Lady, one of Royal FrieslandCampina’s brands, serves as the presenting partner of the Jr. NBA Việtnam. -- VNS