Jordan Clarkson, Jalen Green, Ticha Penicheiro highlight upcoming Jr. NBA Philippines Virtual Clinics

Ticha Penicheiro coaching a participant in the Jr. NBA Clinic back in 2019

The pandemic cannot stop grassroots development of basketball, as the NBA revealed this week its plan to revive the Jr. NBA program in the Philippines through Jr. NBA Philippines Clinics Online, a series of free virtual basketball clinics tailored for both boys and girls aged 13-17.

The Jr. NBA is the NBA's flagship global youth basketball program, aimed to promote a healthy and active lifestyle for its participants.

The 2021 edition will have two sessions. The first clinic on May 29 will feature Jordan Clarkson of the Utah Jazz and Jalen Green of the G-League Ignite. Aside from the customary basketball drills with assistance by Jr. NBA coaches, both players will also participate in a life session and discuss the importance of fundamental skills training in their respective careers.

The second clinic on June 12 is tailored for girls, with WNBA legend Ticha Penicheiro serving as the guest.

NBA Philippines Managing Director Scott Levy shares, "We’re excited to bring together players from across the NBA, WNBA and NBA G League to inspire our young athletes participating in the first ever Jr. NBA Philippines Clinics Online. Shifting the Jr. NBA program to a virtual event will allow us to safely engage young boys and girls through basketball while continuing to promote the importance of an active and healthy lifestyle."

Aside from the clinics, Jr. NBA Philippines will also publish a series of videos featuring Clarkson, Penicheiro, former NBA coaches, local Jr. NBA coaches, and sports science resource speakers on a variety of topics, including nutrition, psychology, diversity and inclusion. These videos will be found on the Jr. NBA Philippines' page on Facebook.

Aside from the virtual clinics, the program is conducting a search to identify ten boys and ten girls that would be participating in the Jr. NBA Asia-Pacific Camp online, a one-day virtual event on July 31 that features advanced basketball instruction, skills challenges, and interactive sessions involving select NBA and WNBA players. To be conducted via social media, the twenty lucky participants will join their counterparts across the region

Interested participants can register on www.jrnbaasia.com. One can also check the site for more details about the program.