NEW YORK – The 2014 Basketball without Borders (BWB) schedule will feature first–time camps in Taipei, Taiwan, and Rome, Italy, and will return to Johannesburg, South Africa, it was announced today by the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the International Basketball Federation (FIBA). Basketball without Borders, the NBA and FIBA’s global basketball development program, has reached 2,100 campers from more than 120 countries, with 29 BWB campers drafted into the NBA.

BWB Europe will tip off the summer schedule from June 2 – 5 in Rome. Highlighting the camp will be three current Italian NBA players and former BWB campers: Danilo Gallinari (BWB 2003, Denver Nuggets), Andrea Bargnani (BWB 2003, New York Knicks), and Italian national team captain Gigi Datome (BWB 2003, Detroit Pistons). In addition, Brandon Knight (Milwaukee Bucks) and Al Horford (Atlanta Hawks) will also participate. BWB Europe 2014 will bring together the top 50 players born in 1997 from more than 25 European countries. The camp was held previously in Treviso, Italy in 2001, 2003, 2004 and 2005.

BWB Asia will tip off in Taipei from June 13 – 16. John Salmons (Toronto Raptors), Ronny Turiaf (Minnesota Timberwolves) and Cody Zeller (Charlotte Bobcats) will participate. Eight–time NBA All–Star Yao Ming will make a one–day appearance. BWB Asia 2014 will bring together the top 50 players born in 1996 or 1997 from more than 20 Asian and Oceanic countries.

BWB Africa will return to Johannesburg for the 11^th time from August 5 – 8. The camp will be led by former All-Star Andrei Kirilenko (Brooklyn Nets) and Thabo Sefolosha (Oklahoma City Thunder), along with NBA head coaches Dwane Casey (Toronto Raptors), Brian Shaw (Denver Nuggets) and NBA Global Ambassador Dikembe Mutombo. BWB Africa 2014 will bring together the top 60 African players born in 1997 or 1998 from more than 20 African countries.

“Basketball without Borders helped me become the player and man I am today, both on and off the court,” said Gallinari. “Learning basketball and life skills from NBA players and coaches is a special opportunity that I greatly appreciated in 2003, and that I know this year’s campers will greatly appreciate. I look forward to bringing the amazing BWB program back to Italy with some of my fellow countrymen, and to coaching some of the most talented teenagers in Europe. I can’t wait to get started.”

Through NBA Cares, the league’s global social responsibility program, all three camps will include extensive community outreach efforts led by NBA players and coaches. Through grassroots basketball development, community service, and life skill seminars, BWB will focus on teaching the values of the game, including leadership, respect, character and health and wellness. In addition, donations of school supplies, clothing, books, games, basketball equipment and other necessities will be made to local community–based organizations.

Nike, a BWB global partner since 2002, will again outfit the campers and coaches of all three camps with Nike apparel and footwear.

Since its inception, the NBA and FIBA have staged 36 BWB camps in 20 cities across 18 countries on five continents. More than 150 different current and former NBA/WNBA players have joined nearly 140 NBA team personnel from all 30 NBA teams.

About the NBA:

The NBA is a global sports and media business built around three professional sports leagues: the National Basketball Association, the Women’s National Basketball Association, and the NBA Development League. The league has established a major international presence with games and programming in 215 countries and territories in 47 languages and NBA merchandise for sale in more than 125,000 stores in 100 countries on 6 continents. NBA rosters at the start of the 2013-14 season featured a record 92 international players from 39 countries and territories. NBA Digital’s assets include NBA TV, which is available in 60 million U.S. homes, and NBA.com, which set a record last year with more than 9.5 billion page views, with more than half of all visitors originating from outside of North America. The NBA is the No. 1 professional sports league on social media, with more than 600 million likes and followers globally across all league, team, and player platforms. Through NBA Cares, the league and its teams and players have donated more than $230 million to charity, completed more than 2.8 million hours of hands-on community service, and created more than 860 places where kids and families can live, learn, or play.