Over 20 top Draft prospects served at the third annual Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA youth clinic in NYC.
As part of their NBA Draft week festivities, top prospects in New York City participated in a combine-style youth basketball clinic with more than 40 local youth at the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) office on Tuesday, June 25.
The third annual Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA youth clinic, held at the NBPA, is an important moment in the process of prospects becoming NBA players.
“Today is the beginning of the journey for the next generation of NBA players. They’re getting a chance to see what it means to be an NBA athlete, which includes working with young people and giving back to their communities.”, David Krichavsky, NBA Senior Vice President of Youth Basketball Development said.
More than 20 of the top prospects in New York City for the NBA Draft came together to spend an afternoon coaching youth proper technique through drills teaching agility, speed, strength and more.
The youth included kids from Carmelo Anthony’s BlackOps Organization and the ProHoops Foundation. In addition to the prospects, WNBA Champion Tamecka Dixon supervised drills with additional help from NBA Champions Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston.
“Having the 2024 NBA Draft prospects come to the NBPA headquarters to interact with New York City youth before their big night is an awesome opportunity to reflect on just how far they’ve come,” said Andre Iguodala, Executive Director of the NBPA.
“In retrospect, they aren’t that far removed from being in the shoes of these young kids that they now serve as role models to. As they step into their professional careers, we encourage our newest NBPA members to keep that perspective in mind, take care of the game, and continue to show love and support to their youngest fans – the next generation of players who will follow in their footsteps.”
Utah Jazz’s newest member, Kyle Filipowski, was once in these kids’ shoes, as an alum of the Jr. NBA Global Championship. Being able to participate in a Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA event once again was a full-circle moment for him.
#NBADraft Jr. NBA Alumni Spotlight: Kyle Filipowski
“To play against other guys from around the world was super cool.” – @kylefilipowski reflects on his Jr. NBA experience pic.twitter.com/xsAJBdISQ9
— Jr. NBA (@jrnba) June 26, 2024
“It’s crazy, I remember being a kid in their shoes looking up to older players. Now being in that position I’m very grateful and a person that kids look up to,” Filipowski said.
The 2024 Draft Class embraced the event, fostering relationships with the kids every step of the way. They were introduced to emphatic ovations and matched the energy of all the smiling faces.
“We’ve noticed today’s players bring an incredible level of maturity and professionalism when they come to us. Just to see how natural and engaged they are with young people, they continue to impress us,” Krichavsky said.
In conjunction with being a happy moment for kids, there are plenty of benefits for the prospects. The NBA emphasizes the relationships the players make with the next generation, so one day they do the same for those who come after them.
“Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston talked about how they’re passing the torch to me and my class. One day we’ll be in their shoes and continue to pass it down to put the next generation in a good position,” Filipowski said.
The entire week has been an unforgettable one for all those who were drafted. Draftees shared important lessons with the youth to help them continue to achieve their dreams.
“We’ve been telling the kids to have fun with it. Never lose that passion for basketball but also keep working hard, don’t get discouraged, and stay confident in yourself,” Filipowski said.
The Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA aims to further Filipowski’s message. Alongside the clinic, the Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA exemplifies its commitment to increasing basketball participation amongst boys and girls while keeping the core values of the game at the forefront.
