Upcoming Events

INTERSCHOLASTIC TOURNAMENT

The interscholastic tournament features the top high school and club teams from around Senegal. In 2007, Durban High School from South Africa became the first outside team to travel to Senegal to compete in the event. Since, we have welcomed teams from California (1Dream) and Canada (Toronto Mission).

ELITE SKILLS ACADEMY

The Skills Academy features 50 of the top prospects from Senegal. The campers not only receive on court tutoring from elite personnel from around the world, but they also participate in life skills seminars on the topics of adversity, empowerment and goal setting.

COACHING CLINICS

The annual Coaches Clinic is a key event in the development of youth basketball players in Africa. Each year the coaches that travel to the Hoop Forum address the local Senegalese coaches on their coaching philosophies and ideas. Each year the numbers of coaches has grown, with last year’s attendance peaking at 75 coaches with backgrounds ranging from youth coaches to National Team coaches. Senegal’s National Basketball Federation’s newly appointed President, Baba Tandian spoke at last year’s clinic.

GROW THE GAME CAMPAIGN

After being awarded a grant by the U.S. State Department, the Grow the Game Campaign officially launched at the 2008 BWB Stopover. Grow The Game is a pilot youth development initiative to educate youth through basketball.

– The Campaign is an extension of the SEEDS Academy vision of using sport and basketball as the conduit to educate youth to spur socio-economic growth in Senegal;

– Grow The Game (GTG) fosters a cultural exchange program that includes basketball clinics and life skills workshops for the student, offers U.S. training opportunities for Senegalese coaches (male and female), and works with partners to build basketball courts in middle schools located in rural areas;

– GTG takes place in some of the most economically deprived areas of Senegal and focuses on the same middle schools built or rehabilitated by USAID and the Ministry of Education since 2003 to improve access to education for the youth;

– GTG offers U.S. training opportunities for Senegalese Coaches (2 Male & 2 Female) yearly. Since its inception, Senegalese coaches have been able to participate and witness the NBA Drafts in New York City, Nike Skills Academies in Chicago and Boston, and week-long I.A.D Training courses in Dallas.

– GTG has the potential to be scaled to regional and neighboring francophone countries such as Burkina Faso, Mali, Ivory Coast, and Guinea.

MEDIA DAY

Each year at the Skills Academy, a media day is scheduled to allow the local Senegalese media access to our campers and coaches. Numerous topics are discussed such as the impact of SEEDS on the community, Nike’s involvement with SEEDS and basketball in Africa as well as the importance of this camp for the future of African basketball. Over a dozen media outlets cover the event annually, and last year we welcomed some South African media personalities as well.

Past Guests and Instructors Have Included:

Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Assistant General Manager, Sacramento Kings

Sam Ahmedu, Scout, Memphis Grizzlies

Mark Aronson, Vice President, NBA

Malick Badiane, Euro league Player

Bill Bayno, Assistant Coach, Portland Trailblazers

Rolando Blackman, Former NBA All Star & current Assistant Coach, Turkish National Team

Lance Blanks, General Manager, Phoenix Suns

Mike Brown, Retired 10 year NBA Player & Former D League Coach

R.C. Buford, General Manager, San Antonio Spurs

Roberto Carmenati, FIBA Coach Italy, NBA Scout

Tim Connelly, Director of Player Personnel, Washington Wizards

Cynthia Cooper, Former WNBA 3-time MVP

DeSagana Diop, NBA Player, Charlotte Bobcats

Patrick Engelbrecht, Scout, Oklahoma City Thunder

Dennis Felton, Scout, Phoenix Suns

Blake Flickner, Coach, Dallas Baptist University

Bobbito Garcia, DJ, Record Label President, Activist and Cultural Ambassador

Anthony Grant, Head Coach, Alabama University

Barry Hecker, Assistant Coach, Memphis Grizzlies

Mark Hughes, Scout, New York Knicks

Jim Jackson, Retired NBA Player

Ben Jobe, Hall of Fame Coach, Consultant & Scout, New York Knicks

Avery Johnson, Head Coach, New Jersey Nets

Cathy Jones, Women’s Euro League All Star, Rivasecopolis

Anicet Lavodrama, Former Scout, Cleveland Cavaliers

Rollie Massimino, Head Coach, Northwood University

Brooks Meek, Director of Basketball Operations International, NBA

Lisandro Miranda, Scout, Dallas Mavericks

Dikembe Mutumbo, Future Hall of Fame & Ambassador, NBA

Milt Newton, Assistant General Manager, Washington Wizards

Godwin Owinje, Scout, Phoenix Suns

Don Nelson, Former Head Coach, Golden State Warriors

Donnie Nelson, President & General Manager, Dallas Mavericks

Renato Pasquali, Head Coach, Basket Club Kiev of Ukraine

Sam Perkins, Retired NBA Star

Nate Pomeday, Assistant Coach, Oregon State University

Kevin Pritchard, Former General Manager, Portland Trailblazers

Roy Rana, Head Coach, Ryerson University (Canada)

Craig Robinson, Head Coach, Oregon State University

Tony Ronzone, Assistant General Manager, Minnesota Timberwolves

Myke Scholl, Head Coach, Loyola Marymount University

Quin Snyder, Director of Player Development, Philadelphia 76ers

Christopher Thomas, Nike SPARQ, Lead Trainer

John Thompson, Hall of Fame Georgetown University Head Coach