NBA Envoys Conducted Workshops for Youth, Local Coaches

NBA Envoys Conducted Workshops for Youth, Local Coaches

The United States Embassy in Uganda, working with the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, hosted two American professional basketball players, Jason Maxiell and Nykesha Sales, who conducted a series of workshops with local coaches and youth. 

During the three-day (September 7- 9, 2009) program, the Sports Envoys worked with coaches to enhance their training techniques and will conduct drills and team-building activities with 225 young people as well as engage in a dialogue on the importance of continued education. 

The Sports Envoy program is designed to work at the grass roots level to aid non-elite youth, ages 7-17, in discovering how success in athletics can be translated into the development of life skills and achievement in the classroom.  The program provides the youthful participants with an opportunity to establish linkages with U.S. sports professionals.

The visit to Uganda was part of the U.S. Department of State’s partnership with the National Basketball Association that enabled current and former NBA and WNBA players to lead basketball clinics in Qatar, Bahrain, Uganda, Mozambique, Georgia and the Philippines.  Local sponsors of the events in Kampala include Uganda Christian University, Coca-Cola, YMCA, Federation of Uganda Basketball Associations; Elizabeth Glazer Pediatric AIDS Foundation and, MTN.   Most workshops and clinics took place at Uganda Christian University (UCU), Mukono

Jason Maxiell- Maxiell has been in the NBA since 2005 and currently is a power forward for the Detroit Pistons. He played for the University of Cincinnati, where he earned All-Conference USA Second Team honors in 2004 and 2005.

Nykesha Sales- Sales was a WNBA player for the Orlando Miracle and the Connecticut Sun from 1998-2008, and was a six-time WNBA All-Star. She also was a NCAA-winning basketball player for the University of Connecticut in 1995. In 1997 she was a member of the gold medal-winning USA Women's Team at the World University Games, and a year later graduated with a business major from the University of Connecticut