NEW YORK, USA/MIES, Switzerland - The National Basketball Association (NBA) and the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) have announced that Basketball without Borders (BWB) is to hold its first-ever camps in Gran Canaria, Spain and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, as well as return to Johannesburg, South Africa for the 12th time.

Gerald Henderson (Charlotte Hornets; USA), Damjan Rudez (Indiana Pacers; Croatia), and Cody Zeller (Charlotte Hornets; USA) will join NBA Legends Jorge Garbajosa (Spain), Vladimir Radmanovic (Serbia) and Hanno Mottola (Finland), as well as WNBA Legend Amaya Valdemoro (Spain), to lead the 50 campers from more than 25 European countries who will travel to the first BWB Europe camp in Gran Canaria from 2-5 June.

Dan Burke (Indiana Pacers), Bryan Gates (New Orleans Pelicans), Walter McCarty (Boston Celtics) and Jim Moran (Portland Trail Blazers) will serve as BWB Europe 2015 camp coaches. Marin Sedlacek (Philadelphia 76ers) will be the camp director and Jeff Tanaka (Chicago Bulls) will serve as the camp’s athletic trainer.

In its 15th year, BWB - the NBA and FIBA's global basketball development and community outreach programme - will return to Johannesburg for BWB South Africa from 29 July-1 August, before congregating in Santo Domingo from 13-16 August for BWB Americas.

Through BWB, the top players from around the world born in 1998 will have the unique opportunity to learn directly from NBA and FIBA players, legends and coaches and to compete against the best players from their continent.

In addition to working with the campers on the court, NBA and FIBA players and coaches will lead extensive community outreach programmes through NBA Cares. The focus of these efforts will be education, grassroots basketball development, and health and wellness highlighted by the creation of a lasting legacy in the community. Through BWB, NBA Cares has created 66 legacy projects around the world where kids and families can live, learn or play.

The campers will be outfitted with the latest footwear and apparel from Nike, a BWB global partner since 2002.

The inaugural BWB programme was conducted in Treviso, Italy, in 2001 by bringing together 50 children from across the former Yugoslavia. The programme has expanded and evolved to become the NBA and FIBA's signature global grassroots initiative.

BWB has reached more than 2,300 campers from more than 120 countries and territories, with 33 campers drafted into the NBA. Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers; Cameroon; BWB Africa 2011) became the highest drafted BWB Africa camper ever when he was selected third overall in the 2014 NBA Draft. Twenty-two former BWB campers were on active NBA rosters during the 2014-15 regular season, including 2015 NBA All-Star Marc Gasol (Memphis Grizzlies; Spain; BWB Europe 2003), 2014 NBA Champion Marco Belinelli (San Antonio Spurs; Italy; BWB Europe 2004), and Nikola Mirotic (Chicago Bulls; Montenegro; BWB Europe 2008), who finished second in 2014-15 Kia NBA Rookie of the Year Award voting.

The NBA and FIBA showcased the programme's growth by holding the first-ever BWB Global Camp during the 2015 NBA All-Star Weekend in New York City. The camp, the first BWB held in the United States, is to become an annual tradition that brings top players from around the world to the NBA's All-Star Weekend for a global celebration of basketball. The BWB Global Camp during the 2016 NBA All-Star Weekend in Toronto, Canada - the first NBA All-Star Weekend to be held outside of the USA - will bring together the top players from this summer’s BWB camps. 

FIBA