Dallas Mavs Help Grow NBA Impact with Abu Dhabi Youth Basketball Clinic: 'It's Special'
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — Among the focuses for the NBA with having teams play abroad is to continue to grow the game from a marketing and talent standpoint. The Dallas Mavericks did their part while competing against the Minnesota Timberwolves for two games at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.
Beyond providing an entertainment product in front of an excited crowd for a preseason game that otherwise would be overlooked in the United States, the NBA wants to tap into a possible talent pool in the Middle East.
“I truly believe, when you talk about the Middle East, they will be able to produce, not just one or two NBA players, it’s just a matter of the resources and time, and also being patient, because it doesn’t happen overnight," Mavs coach Jason Kidd said. "I truly believe that the world will have a player from each country at some point playing in the NBA.”
One of the methods the NBA has utilized to help further popularize the sport is to have players from the teams participating in Global Games assist with a youth basketball clinic. The idea is that interaction with current NBA players could help inspire future players' development, as many current players would say benefited them when attending basketball camps as kids.
"It's special. Basketball is a global game. It's something that's connecting ages now and from youth, but also to the next generations," Mavs forward Grant Williams said. "It's super special to be a part of because it was the same way when I was growing up. I felt like I didn't know if the NBA was attainable. I didn't know if these players were normal people. Having this connection with [the kids] today hopefully allows them to see that it's as tangible as possible, and they can be a part of it as much as they would like."
Dallas Mavericks star Kyrie Irving helps lead a youth basketball camp in Abu Dhabi.
DallasBasketball.com
Each Mavs player interacted with the youth players by assisting in on-court drills, providing an otherwise unavailable experience in the Middle East. Williams, who remained attentive and energized throughout the session, views it as important to pass down knowledge to the next generation of players, just as he had done for him. The lessons learned on the court can be beneficial in other settings.
"To give that guidance so that the next generation isn't making those same mistakes so they can be a step ahead," Williams said. "Many things will continue to grow and make the sport of basketball better and their lives better, and I'm just thankful to be a part of that.
In terms of advice for the players on the court, Williams conveyed the importance of mastering the fundamentals of the game, such as layups, ball handling, and shoot mechanics. However, playing with effort at such a young age is just as important as the other details.
"Working on your fundamentals like your layups and working on your ball handling. Make sure that you have good shooting technique," Williams said. "At this stage, you're so young, working on the grassroots, ensuring your effort is there. Effort is something you get to continue to improve at it. Just understand that you don't have to be a special rookie carrier on the first day of basketball. You can take your time to get to work hard to be able to accomplish that."
As basketball continues to grow worldwide, the NBA will be at the forefront of having players and teams do their part to help further it.
