MEXICO CITY – The National Basketball Association (NBA) and La Loma Centro Deportivo (La Loma), a world-class athletic facility renowned for hosting top athletes from around the world, today announced a multiyear partnership that makes La Loma the official home of NBA Academy Latin America, an elite basketball training program for top prospects from throughout Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, South America and Canada.

La Loma’s state-of-the-art sports complex in San Luis Potosí features multiple basketball courts, a weight room, educational facilities, dining areas and housing that will be used by NBA Academy Latin America prospects and coaches beginning in January 2021.

“We are thrilled to collaborate with La Loma to continue developing the next generation of Latin American players and helping them reach their potential as players and leaders,” said Arnon de Mello, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, NBA Latin America.  “La Loma’s premier sports complex will provide top prospects from across the region with the resources they need to develop on the court and in the classroom.”

“La Loma is honored to partner with the NBA as the league fulfills its mission of helping NBA Academy players excel as athletes, while also supporting their development off the court,” said Rafael Lebrija Hirschfeld, President and CEO of La Loma. “We look forward to building on the recent success of the program and creating an environment that helps players maximize their abilities.”

As the new home of NBA Academy Latin America, La Loma will also host a series of basketball development camps for top female prospects from across the region as part of the NBA Academy Women’s Program.

Launched in 2017, NBA Academy Latin America provides top high school-age prospects from the region with a holistic approach to player development.  The program focuses on health and wellness, character development and life skills, and gives prospects the opportunity to learn the game from NBA-trained coaches with professional, collegiate and international coaching experience.  NBA Academy Latin America builds on the NBA’s existing basketball and youth development initiatives in Latin America, including the Jr. NBA, NBA Basketball School and Basketball Without Borders, all of which aim to broaden the basketball ecosystem across the region.  Since 2017, 11 NBA Academy Latin America participants have committed to NCAA Division-1 schools in the U.S.

Find out more about the NBA Academy program at nbaacademy.nba.com, on Twitter @NBAAcademyPR and on Instagram (nbaacademy).  Fans in Mexico can find more NBA information at NBA.com/Mexico, on Facebook (@NBAMexico) and on Twitter (@NBAMEX).

About NBA Academy
NBA Academy is an elite basketball development initiative that provides top high school-age prospects from outside the U.S. with a holistic approach to player development.  The NBA Academy program includes six academies across Australia, China, India, Mexico and Senegal for top prospects from their respective countries and continents.  In March 2018, the NBA launched the NBA Academy Women’s Program, a series of basketball development camps for top female prospects from outside the U.S at the league’s academies.  Since then, NBA Academy Women’s Program camps have been held in China, India, Mexico and Senegal.  42 NBA Academy participants have committed to NCAA Division-1 schools and seven participants have signed professional contracts.  Find out more about the NBA Academy program at nbaacademy.nba.com, on Twitter @NBAAcademyPR and on Instagram (nbaacademy).

About La Loma
With more than 30 years of sporting experience, La Loma is a world leader in preparing athletes for global competitions, world championships and Olympic games.  The complex has hosted more than 15,000 world-class athletes who have combined to win 130 Olympic medals over the last three Olympic games (Beijing, London and Rio), while contributing to personal character development, and promoting the integration of families through sport, health coexistence, physical activity and time management.  La Loma receives around one million visits per year and offers 48 sporting activities.  Find out more about La Loma at laloma.center, on Facebook at La Loma Centro Deportivo, on Twitter @LaLomaCD and on Instagram (lalomacd).