Hawks’ Danilo Gallinari to coach in Italy

The NBA forward will coach European prospects this weekend

LONDON AND MILAN – The NBA, International Basketball Federation (FIBA), and Italian Basketball Federation (FIP) announced on Tuesday that Basketball Without Borders (BWB) Europe will be held at Sport Village Assago and the Bocconi Sport Center in Milan, Italy from June 1-4.

BWB Europe 2022 will bring together 62 of the top high-school age boys and girls from 24 countries across Europe to learn directly from current and former NBA, WNBA and FIBA players, legends and coaches and compete alongside their peers from across the region.  The campers and coaches will also take part in life skills, leadership development and community service programming.

The campers will be coached by NBA players Danilo Gallinari (Atlanta Hawks), Terance Mann (LA Clippers) and Kemba Walker (New York Knicks).

“Basketball Without Borders will always have a special significance for me,” Gallinari said. “As a young camper back in 2003, I had dreams of playing in the NBA, and my experience at BWB enabled me to focus even more on my goal.  It will be great to speak to the campers about my own experiences in the hope that one day they can stand in my shoes.”

Memphis Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins, NBA assistant coaches David Adelman, Johnnie Bryant, Edniesha Curry, former WNBA player Raffaella Masciadri, and Italy Women’s National Team captain and Virtus Bologna forward Sabrina Cinili will serve as BWB Europe coaches.

Patrick Hunt – President of the World Association of Basketball Coaches – and Marin Sedlaček will serve as camp directors, while Houston Rockets head athletic trainer, Jason Biles, will serve as the camp’s athletic trainer.

Players and coaches will lead the campers through a variety of activities, including movement efficiency drills, offensive and defensive skill stations, three-point contests, 5-on-5 games, and life skills and leadership development sessions.

A ceremony on the final day of the camp will award the BWB Europe 2022 MVP, Defensive MVP, Three-Point Champion and the Patrick Baumann Sportsmanship Award to the boys and girls who distinguish themselves on the court and as leaders.

A record 41 former BWB campers were among the record 121 international players on opening-night NBA rosters for the 2021-22 season.  Former BWB Europe campers currently in the NBA and WNBA include Gallinari, Deni Avdija (Wizards), Killian Hayes (Detroit Pistons), Awak Kuier (Dallas Wings), Dario Šarić (Suns), and Jonas Valančiūnas (New Orleans Pelicans).

The NBA and FIBA have hosted 63 BWB camps in 30 countries since the program’s launch in 2001.  BWB has reached more than 3,700 participants from 133 countries and territories, with 96 former campers drafted into the NBA and WNBA or signed as free agents.

The first-ever Basketball Without Borders camp took place in Europe in July 2001.  Vlade Divac and Toni Kukoč, along with former teammates from the Yugoslavia Men’s National Team, reunited to work with 50 children from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Slovenia and Serbia and Montenegro at La Ghirada in Treviso, Italy.

NIKE, a global partner of BWB since 2002, will outfit the campers and coaches with NIKE apparel and footwear.