BASKETBALL – BASKETBALL’S international governing body is hoping to leave a lasting legacy in the kingdom and inspire the local youth when the Fiba Mid-Term Congress and Fiba Hall of Fame (HOF) induction ceremony for the Class of 2025 are hosted by Bahrain next month.
The two mega Fiba events will be bringing some of the game’s most celebrated names to the island this May 14 to 18, including superstar players and NBA champions Pau Gasol of Spain and Andrew Bogut of Australia, as well as renowned coach Mike Krzyzewski from the US.
They are just three of the eight basketball icons who will be in Bahrain for the Class of 2025 HOF enshrinement ceremony. The others are Alphonse Bile of the Ivory Coast, Leonor Borrell of Cuba, Fadi El Khatib of Lebanon, Ratko Radovanovic of Serbia, and women’s basketball stars Dawn Staley of the US and Ticha Penicheiro of Portugal.
Fiba Foundation head TJ Bullock says he hopes that seeing these world-famous figures in the kingdom will make an impact on Bahrain’s youngsters who are interested in basketball.
“One of our core functions in Fiba is to continue to develop the game of basketball – it is in our mission and vision to be the most popular sports community around the world,” Bullock said yesterday during a Press conference held at Sofitel Bahrain Zallaq Thalassa Sea and Spa.
“We have 3.3 billion fans around the world – that is almost half the entire globe – and it is important for us to continue to increase that.
“Having such events will be a celebration of basketball that is coming to the Kingdom of Bahrain in a couple of weeks, and it is important to also leave that legacy – and to leave a legacy not only for fans, but for current players and also future players. So when we talk about mini-basketball, for example, we want to do a clinic for these young players and hope to create some dreams and some goals that the Hall of Famer can be there and inspire a young girl or boy who is from here.
“That is very important for us, not only here, but around the world – but there is a strategic focus on here in a couple of weeks.”
The FIBA HOF is a shrine dedicated to those who have helped build the foundations of international basketball from its birth up until today’s modern-day game. It strives to be a genuinely worldwide institution, active in the promotion and remembrance of basketball.
The FIBA HOF was created in 2007 and it has already seen the induction of 192 outstanding hall of famers from 45 countries from five continents. It is based at the Patrick Baumann House of Basketball in Mies, Switzerland.
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