NBA China to pledge RMB 10 million to build and refurbish public basketball courts in China

The pledge is part of the expanded partnership between NBA China and Chinese Ministry of Education to grow basketball in China

From left to right: Vice Minister of Education Hao Ping, NBA China CEO David Shoemaker and Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Rick Stengel pose at the signing ceremony of the NBA-Ministry of Education expanded partnership during the US-China High-Level Consultation on People-to-People Exchange (CPE) in Washington, D.C on June 24. [Photo provided for chinadaily.com.cn]

NBA China announced on Wednesday a RMB 10 million (US$ 1.6 million) pledge in a joint effort with the Chinese Ministry of Education to build and refurbish public basketball courts across China.

The pledge expands the existing partnership between NBA China and the Ministry of Education to promote basketball education and youth development in elementary, middle, high schools and universities in China.

The pledge was formalized at a signing ceremony yesterday by NBA China CEO David Shoemaker and Chinese Vice Minister of Education Hao Ping at the US-China High-Level Consultation on People-to-People Exchange (CPE) in Washington, D.C.

As part of the initial rollout of the expanded partnership, the NBA recently announced the creation of three public basketball courts with ground-breaking ceremonies at the Oriental Pearl Tower in Shanghai, the Longgang Universiade Center in Shenzhen, and the High-Tech Sports Center in Chongqing.

Vice Minister of Education Hao Ping and NBA China CEO David Shoemaker sign the Memorandum of Understanding for the expanded partnership between the NBA and the Ministry of Education during the US-China High-Level Consultation on People-to-People Exchange (CPE) in Washington, D.C on June 24. [Photo provided for chinadaily.com.cn]

"The NBA is delighted to be part of the sixth Consultation on People-to-People Exchange, and we are ready to take our youth development efforts to the next level with this RMB 10 million investment to build basketball courts throughout China," said Shoemaker."We thank the Chinese Ministry of Education for its partnership, which demonstrates our mutual commitment to growing the sport of basketball in China."

Representing Chinese student basketball talent, the Tsinghua High School Varsity team was in Houston June 16-21 attending six days of basketball clinics conducted byHouston Rockets Player Development Coach Kevin Burleson. The students also participated in scrimmagesand various community visits.

From left to right: Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong, US Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew, Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang and US Secretary of State John Kerry attend the opening ceremony of the seventh China-U.S. Strategic and Economic Dialogue (S&ED) and the sixth China-U.S. High-Level Consultation on People-to-People Exchange (CPE) in Washington, D.C on June 24. [Photo provided for chinadaily.com.cn]

Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong and Shoemaker, along with NBA Legends Yao Ming and Robert Horry, attended and observed the basketball exchange between the Tsinghua High School Varsity team and Houston Select U18 Boys team on June 21 at the Toyota Center in Houston.

NBA's basketball development efforts in China

In October 2014, the NBA and Chinese Ministry of Education established a groundbreaking partnership that aims to provide enhanced basketball training to at least three million students by 2017. This unprecedented partnership is the NBA's first collaboration with China's education authority and the Ministry of Education's first partnership with an American professional sports league. Since 2014, NBA China has hosted a series of coaching seminars and basketball clinics in Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Wuhan and Zhengzhou featuring NBA Legends Richard Hamilton and Muggsy Bogues and NBA coaches Jim O'Brien, Ralph Willard, Jim Eyen, Bill Peterson and Richard Smith.

The partnership with the Ministry of Education builds on the NBA's basketball and youth development efforts in China. In February 2014, NBA China and Yao Ming launched the NBA Yao Basketball Club, providing basketball training and fitness programs for boys and girls at all skill levels,while also teaching the importance of teamwork, leadership and communication in a fun basketball environment. In September 2011, the CBA Dongguan Basketball School, an NBA Training Center, was launched for elite players ages 12-17. Together the CBA Dongguan Basketball School and CBA/NBA joint coaching program have trained more than 2,000 youth and coaches.