Nita Ambani-backed venture to help NBA return with 8th year of junior programme in India

The year 2020 saw basketball being brought to a standstill by the global COVID-19 pandemic. However, the sport is all set to return to action following an exciting announcement made by National Basketball Association (NBA) on Thursday. The announcement that was made was regarding the return of the Nita Ambani Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA program for boys and girls across India.

All you need to know about Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA program

The Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA program, under which Nita Ambani's Reliance Foundation and the NBA are partners, will be completing 8 years in 2021. The programme is a comprehensive youth development initiative that aims to develop the game at the grassroots level and apply the core values of basketball — teamwork, respect, determination, and community — to positively impact the lives of boys and girls in India. It is also occasionally used for talent scouting as well.

NBA news: How will the Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA program be conducted?

According to a PTI report, the 12-week live series which will be conducted via Zoom and is free for anyone who wants to attend every Saturday morning. In big NBA news, the event will kick off on March 13 with a live Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA clinic hosted by Chicago Sky guard Sydney Colson of the WNBA. Two-time NBA All-Star Roy Hibbert will be hosting the next live Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA clinic.

The series will feature NBA, WNBA, and NBA G League players, legends, and coaches engaging participants in skill development, leadership, and life skills sessions every Saturday morning. The Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA program will also provide pre-recorded training videos and content to PE teachers and coaches at participating schools, providing year-round development opportunities for aspiring players through digital platforms.

During the 2019-20 season, the NBA and its teams reached 14.5 million youngsters around the world through in-person events and clinics, before transitioning to virtual programming and online youth basketball development events that have generated more than 210 million views from youth players and fans in 118 countries.

Nita Ambani has also been actively involved in conducting the ISL 2021 and will soon be seen participating in IPL 2021 activities with the Mumbai Indians.

Reliance Industries buy out IMG's India stake 

Recently, the Reliance Industries made a big decision on entering the sports and lifestyle segments in India as well as globally by rebranding the IMG-Reliance brand. The company is now known as 'RISE Worldwide Limited' and this announcement was made on Twitter in January.

Even before the decision of rebranding was made, IMG had made quite a name for themselves. The company was the first to win the event rights for the Indian Premier League and have been successful in organising the competition since its inception. However, according to recent reports, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is contemplating managing the IPL 2021 on their own after their alleged fallout with IMG. Moreover, the brand also has ISL 2021 in their kitty, and the management will be keen to make it a grand success after their re-branding. 

Image: NBA Basketball School India / Instagram