NEW YORK, May 5, 2020 – The National Basketball Association (NBA) today announced that the fourth annual Jr. NBA Leadership Conference powered by Under Armour will feature three-time NBA Champion Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors, Curt Gowdy Media Award-winning ESPN analyst Doris Burke, Dallas Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle, former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy, University of South Carolina women’s head coach and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Dawn Staley and LA Clippers head coach Doc Rivers, among other speakers.
Hosted by Curt Gowdy Media Award-winning ESPN analyst Jay Bilas, the conference will take place virtually for the first time on Friday, May 15 from 11 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. Manitoba time. It will be livestreamed on the NBA App, NBA.com and Jr. NBA.com and across the NBA and Jr. NBA’s Facebook, Twitter and YouTube accounts.
Shifting from an in-person forum to a free virtual event in response to the coronavirus pandemic, the Jr. NBA Leadership Conference will bring together members of the youth basketball community – including coaches, program administrators, partners, players and parents. Fans from around the world will also join for discussions with the game’s leaders and public health experts on topics related to the current state of youth sports.
This year’s lineup will feature opening remarks by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver followed by a series of conversations, audience Q&As and panel discussions, including a one-on-one conversation between Curry and Burke.
“Like so many parts of the sports world, the youth basketball community has come together to assist one another during this challenging time, and we look forward to deepening the connection between youth coaches, families and the NBA and WNBA through this conference,” said NBA Senior Vice President, Head of Youth Development David Krichavsky. “We are excited to convene leaders from across the sports and public health sectors to lead meaningful and interactive conversations, discuss best practices in youth development particularly during times of uncertainty, and answer questions from basketball stakeholders around the world.”
Dr. Murthy will discuss ways to promote physical and mental wellness among youth during this time of distancing, and Retired General Martin E. Dempsey, the Chairman of USA Basketball and the Jr. NBA Leadership Council, will lead a conversation on leadership in challenging times.
In addition, a coaches roundtable will discuss the state of the game and ways to support young athletes during this time. The roundtable will feature Carlisle, Staley, Rivers, Sacramento Kings assistant coach and former WNBA player Lindsey Harding, former WNBA player and Jackson County (Ga.) High School girls’ basketball head coach Christi Thomas and founder Brendan Winters of Pro Skills Basketball, a member of the Jr. NBA Flagship Network.
The event will conclude with a 15-minute virtual, live basketball clinic demonstrating drills and exercises that boys and girls can complete at home and in limited space to stay active and develop their game in a safe and healthy way. Launched in response to the coronavirus pandemic as part of NBA Together, Jr. NBA at Home is an interactive content series in which NBA and WNBA players help young players around the world stay active and connected to the game. In addition to the daily videos published across Jr. NBA social media channels, fans can access longer-form content through “Jr. NBA at Home Workouts,” 15-minute videos starring NBA or WNBA players every Tuesday at 2 p.m. ET on the NBA’s YouTube page.
After the conference, the NBA will continue the youth sports conversation through the new Jr. NBA at Home podcast, a 12-episode weekly coaching development series featuring special guests from the NBA, WNBA or youth basketball community, as well as Jr. NBA Live Coaches Hangouts, which are weekly virtual meetings for youth basketball coaches and program administrators to connect as a community on a regular basis and exchange basketball and life skills development resources, learnings and best practices.
Call To Action: Sign Up - https://jrnbaconference2020virtual.splashthat.com/may15
