La Loma Centro Deportivo will host the elite basketball training program for the best prospects from Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, South America and Canada, after signing an agreement with the NBA.
Arnon de Mello, senior vice president and general manager, NBA Latin America commented that “We are delighted to be collaborating with La Loma to continue developing the next generation of Latin American players and helping them reach their potential as players and leaders. The La Loma sports complex will provide the best prospects in the entire region with the resources they need to develop on the field and in the classroom. “
Rafael Lebrija Hirschfeld, President and CEO of La Loma stated that “La Loma is proud to partner with the NBA as the league fulfills its mission to help NBA Academy players excel as athletes while supporting their development off the pitch ”.
Lebrija Hirschfeld also commented “We look forward to building on the recent success of the program and creating an environment that helps players maximize their abilities.”
As the new home of NBA Academy Latin America, La Loma will also host a series of basketball development camps for the best female prospects from across the region as part of the NBA Academy Women’s Program.
NBA ACADEMY LATINOAMÉRICA
Launched in 2017, the NBA Academy Latin America offers the best youth prospects in the region a holistic approach to player development. The program focuses on health and wellness, character development and life skills, as well as providing prospects the opportunity to learn directly from NBA-trained coaches with professional, college, and international experience.
The NBA Academy Latin America builds on existing basketball and youth development initiatives within the NBA in Latin America, including the Jr. NBA, NBA Basketball School, and Basketball Without Borders, which aim to expand the game’s ecosystem throughout the region.
Since 2017, 11 NBA Academy Latin America participants have committed to NCAA Division 1 schools in the US.
The NBA Academy program includes six academies in Australia, China, India, Mexico and Senegal for the best prospects from their respective countries and continents. In March 2018, the NBA launched the NBA Academy Women’s Program, a series of basketball development camps for the best prospects from outside the US in the league’s academies. Since then, NBA Academy Women’s Program camps have been held in China, India, Mexico, and Senegal. 42 NBA Academy participants have committed to NCAA Division 1 schools and seven participants have signed professional contracts.
