The National Basketball Association (NBA) and the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) concluded the expanded 2024 season of the Jr. NBA Abu Dhabi League with a finals event that was attended by NBA legends and champions Julius Erving and Jason Williams.
The 2024 Jr. NBA Abu Dhabi League, which started in January, reached more than 1,300 youth from schools across Abu Dhabi, and for the first time, Al Ain.
“It’s been amazing to come out here to Abu Dhabi for the first time and see how months of hard work for these kids has resulted in an awesome finals event,” said NBA legend Jason Williams.
“I would have loved to have had an opportunity like this when I was growing up, so it feels great to work with the NBA to help inspire the next generation of basketball players.”
Jr. NBA programming has reached more than 11,000 youth in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain since 2022.
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 2022-23 season, the Jr. NBA collectively reached 50,000 youth in 28 countries across Europe and the Middle East.