GRAND CAYMAN – The National Basketball Association (NBA) and global investment company Dart have announced a collaboration to launch the Jr. NBA program – the league’s global youth basketball development program for boys and girls – for the first time in the Cayman Islands.  The program will tip off with Jr. NBA Week from Thursday, May 25 – Sunday, May 28 at Camana Bay Sports Complex featuring a 3-on-3 tournament as well as clinics for coaches and referees.

Through the collaboration, the NBA and Dart will deliver tools and resources to grow basketball in the Cayman Islands while teaching the fundamental skills and core values of the game, including teamwork, respect, determination and community.  The 3-on-3 tournament will consist of two divisions for boys and girls in the 12 and under and 14 and under age groups.  Each team will receive NBA-branded uniforms for their games.

Additionally, on May 25, the NBA will host a coaches clinic for local physical education teachers and coaches that will provide them with player development resources, techniques and on-court exercises to effectively teach basketball to aspiring players.  On May 26, the NBA will host a referees clinic led by former NBA official Joey Crawford that will offer local referees best practices on officiating with an emphasis on mechanics and game management.

“Dart believes in the power of youth sports to strengthen communities and has supported local programs through sponsorships, donations and facility development for over two decades,” said Dart Director Jackie Doak.  “When it comes to basketball, there is no greater partner than the NBA, bringing decades of experience that will inspire our young players.  We share in their recognition of the influence coaches carry and are committed to supporting our local coaches and referees through dedicated training clinics.  We hope all schools and coaches can take advantage of this exceptional opportunity.”

“This is an important step in our ongoing commitment to growing basketball at the grassroots level and encouraging a healthy and active lifestyle in the Cayman Islands, Caribbean and across all of Latin America,” said NBA Latin America Senior Vice President and Managing Director Arnon de Mello.  “Dart is well-known for its investment in community development, and we’re excited to work collaboratively to positively impact the lives of youth in the Cayman Islands.”

The Jr. NBA teaches the fundamental skills as well as the core values of the game – teamwork, respect, determination and community – at the grassroots level in an effort to help grow and improve the youth basketball experience for players, coaches and parents.  During the 2021-22 season, the NBA reached 41.4 million youth participants outside through in-person and online events and clinics in 160 countries.

Fans in the Cayman Islands can follow the NBA on Facebook (Facebook.com/NBALATAM), Instagram (@NBALatAm), YouTube (@NBALatAm) and Twitter (@NBALatAm), and download the NBA App on iOS and Android for the latest news, updates, scores, stats, schedules, videos and more.

About Dart Enterprises
Dart is a global investment company founded by visionary investor and entrepreneur Ken Dart.  Based in the Cayman Islands, Dart oversees a global portfolio with operating businesses in multiple industries, including real estate development, finance, retail, hospitality and entertainment.  Established as a family office in the 1990s, Dart has invested more than US$1.5 billion in real estate development in the Cayman Islands to date, including Camana Bay, a 685-acre mixed-use, master-planned new urbanist town, and multiple Forbes Travel Guide Five Star rated resorts.  As the largest private investor and employer in the Cayman Islands, Dart focuses its community development efforts on education, youth development and the environment.  For more information visit https://dart.ky.

About the NBA
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a global sports and media organization with the mission to inspire and connect people everywhere through the power of basketball.  Built around five professional sports leagues:  the NBA, WNBA, NBA G League, NBA 2K League and Basketball Africa League, the NBA has established a major international presence with games and programming available in 214 countries and territories in more than 50 languages, and merchandise for sale in more than 200 countries and territories on all seven continents.  NBA rosters at the start of the 2022-23 season featured 120 international players from 41 countries.  NBA Digital’s assets include NBA TV, NBA.com, the NBA App and NBA League Pass.  The NBA has created one of the largest social media communities in the world, with 2.1 billion likes and followers globally across all league, team, and player platforms.  Through NBA Cares, the league addresses important social issues by working with internationally recognized youth-serving organizations that support education, youth and family development, and health-related causes.