BANGKOK, THAILAND – The National Basketball Association (NBA) today announced that the Jr. NBA, the league’s global youth basketball program for boys and girls, will return to Thailand with a Jr. NBA Camp from Friday, July 21 – Sunday, July 23 and a Jr. NBA 5-on-5 Tournament from Friday, July 28 – Wednesday, Aug. 2, both at the Ratwinit Bangkaeo School in Bangkok, which will be managed by official event co-organizer Shoot It.  The 5-on-5 tournament will mark the first Jr. NBA Tournament featuring teams from six countries across East Asia.

The camp is free to participate in and will feature 120 boys and girls participating in fundamental skill development and a 5-on-5 tournament featuring boys’ and girls’ divisions in the under-13, under-15, and under-18 age groups.   The winning boys’ and girls’ team from each age group will advance to the Jr. NBA 5-on-5 Tournament, where they will compete in their respective divisions and be joined by teams from across the region.  Each winning team from the Jr. NBA 5-on-5 Tournament will receive a trophy and special prizes.

“We’re thrilled to bring the Jr. NBA back to Thailand and create more opportunities for Thai players to showcase their skills and compete alongside their peers from across East Asia,” said NBA Asia Associate Vice President of Global Marketing Partnerships, Jim Wong.  “Expanding the Jr. NBA 5-on-5 Tournament represents a significant milestone for our program and will build on our ongoing efforts to drive youth basketball participation in Thailand and throughout the region.”

Since its launch in 2014, the Jr. NBA program has reached more than two million boys and girls across Thailand by teaching the fundamental skills and core values of the game: sportsmanship, teamwork, a positive attitude, and respect (S.T.A.R.).  The Jr. NBA Coaches Academy – the program’s government-supported initiative that aims to enhance local basketball development by establishing standards, guidelines, and best practices for youth coaches – has trained more than 6,300 teachers from more than 4,100 schools in 14 cities across the country, with stops in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Had Yai, Lampang, Trang and Udon Thani.

Gatorade is an official event partner of the Jr. NBA in Thailand.

Fans can follow @JrNBAThailand on Facebook, @jrnbaasia on Instagram, and @nbathailand on TikTok for updates and program information.  Fans can also purchase authentic NBA merchandise at NBAStore.co.th, the official online NBA Store in Thailand.  For all things NBA, visit www.nba.com and download the NBA App.