Six young Brits selected to Jr. NBA EME Elite camp

Six young Brits have been selected to a four-day Jr. NBA Europe and Middle East Elite Camp that will be held at Stella Azzurra in Rome, Italy from Wednesday, May 4 – Saturday, May 7.

Neve Rugette, Tamzin Matthews, Fleur Gamal, Tejan Rugette, James Andrew Henderson and Isaias Balde have been selected to the Jr. NBA EME Elite Camp that will feature 60 boys and girls ages 13-14 from 25 countries across Europe and the Middle East where Jr. NBA programs currently operate.

The camp will focus on positional skill development, shooting, and skills competitions, culminating with three-on-three and five-on-five competition, conducted by NBA Basketball Operations staff and coaches from Jr. NBA leagues in Europe and the Middle East.

Former NBA and WNBA players and NBA Europe Ambassadors Anastasia Kostaki (Greece), Zaza Pachulia (Georgia), Vladimir Radmanović (Montenegro) and Ronny Turiaf (France) and former NBA head coach Ryan Saunders will also attend and coach the youth players. Saunders will also lead an NBA Coaching Clinic for the Jr. NBA coaches and invited local coaches.

“We are excited to host 60 of the top young boys and girls from across Europe and the Middle East at Stella Azzurra’s facilities in Rome,” said NBA Associate Vice President of Basketball Operations, Europe and Middle East Neal Meyer.

“The Jr. NBA EME Elite Camp provides a unique and exciting opportunity for these developing players to compete alongside their peers from other countries and learn from established coaches as they advance in their young careers.”

The Jr. NBA, the league’s global youth basketball program for boys and girls, teaches the fundamental skills as well as the core values of the game – teamwork, respect, determination and community – at the grassroots level in an effort to help grow and improve the youth basketball experience for players, coaches and parents.

During the 2021-22 season, the Jr. NBA will reach nearly 37,000 youth in 28 countries in Europe and the Middle East.

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