| The NBA’s impact on the world could be | | | | To date, the program has been presented in nine |
| considered minimal, if it were not for the advanced | | | | countries on five continents. More than 250 different |
| technology of global television and the personal | | | | NBA team personnel, coaches and players from 30 |
| outreach both to and from the team members. This | | | | different NBA teams serve as camp coaches for |
| is exemplified by the NBA China experience. Chinese | | | | 1200 youngsters from 100 countries or territories. |
| citizens are extremely knowledgeable about the | | | | The volunteers and the campers have racked up |
| players and the game itself and enjoy watching it on | | | | more than 85 million travel miles and donated more |
| television. It is also considered a gesture of friendship | | | | than one million hours of community service. |
| that team members are participating on a global scale | | | | Additional people have been reached through the |
| with other sports minded people. China is just one | | | | community relations outreach efforts wherever the |
| country that is being reached out to by the NBA | | | | camps are held. In addition, 37 NBA Cares Legacy |
| Events and Promotions Department. | | | | Project sites have been created in communities |
| Even in countries where basketball is behind soccer | | | | outside the United States and Canada. These sites |
| as a popular sport, the interest shown in the game | | | | are places where children and families can come to |
| and the activities surrounding the game are an | | | | grow, play and learn. For example, a Learn & Play |
| important commercial message from the United | | | | Center in the desperately poor township of Soweto, |
| States. Yet, the connection between the international | | | | South Africa was built in 2003. In 2004, at a Reading |
| fans and the team members was anything but | | | | and Learning Center, held at Vila Olimpica de Jornalista |
| commercial. The fans knew the team members and | | | | Ary de Carvalho, the crew held Basketball and Books |
| their playing style; they knew the colors and jersey | | | | clinics and conducted Read to Achieve events. |
| numbers of favorite players, and they were | | | | Other events and facilities include those in Buenos |
| enthusiastic in their support both for the team | | | | Aires, Argentina, Beijing, China, Shanghai, China, |
| members and for the game. | | | | Vilnius, Lithuania, San Juan, Puerto Rico, Sao Paulo, |
| Perhaps more than any other single factor in the | | | | Brazil, and Paris, France. The NBA program has built |
| global impact of the NBA is the presence of 7'6" | | | | dormitories, basketball courts, clinics, laundry facility |
| center Yao Ming from China. Ming currently plays for | | | | and guest house, library and computer center for a |
| the Houston Rockets and was their first round draft | | | | school, dining halls, and Habitat for Humanity Homes. |
| choice in 2002. Previously he played for the Shanghai | | | | In addition to the basketball clinics, the Basketball |
| Sharks of the Chinese Basketball Association. The | | | | Without Walls program offers educational and |
| tallest player in the NBA, he is also the first draft | | | | awareness programs such as literacy, HIV/AIDS |
| choice in the NBA to be selected with no American | | | | awareness, Special Olympics clinic, Skills for Life in a |
| playing experience. Even to allow Yao Ming to play | | | | Box, Healthy Lifestyle Clinic, Fitness Clinic, and |
| for the NBA required extensive negotiations and | | | | numerous visits to schools, hospitals, clinics and |
| agreements about the details of his playing | | | | medical facilities. |
| experience. The cooperation between countries is | | | | With this type of personal interaction all over the |
| another impact that the NBA has provided globally. | | | | world it is hardly surprising that the NBA truly has a |
| The NBA program known as Basketball Without | | | | global impact. The mobilization of money, talent and |
| Borders is another global awareness program. | | | | materials toward specific projects not only means |
| Basketball Without Borders is a program that uses | | | | high visibility for the sports organization, but the |
| basketball as a method to implement social change. | | | | one-on-one contact with the young people involved in |
| Dozens of present and former NBA team personnel | | | | the project is a personal outreach that cannot be |
| and players act as camp coaches in the program. | | | | matched elsewhere. |
| Young people from many economic, national and | | | | In addition to the group projects through the NBA, |
| cultural backgrounds are united each year on four | | | | other projects are being funded directly by NBA |
| continents to learn together through playing | | | | players. Given this personal contact, it is not surprising |
| basketball. The program teaches basketball, but | | | | that there are fans of NBA teams all over the world, |
| includes a forum for social issues and emphasizes the | | | | and widespread support for the principles espoused |
| awareness of healthy living and education. | | | | and demonstrated by the organization. |