The adidas superstar camp, the premier global basketball camp network, opens in Shanghai, China, May 23-27, 2005. 50 of Asia's top 15-18 year olds, representing seven nations, will be joined by current and former NBA stars and coaches in the premiere performance basketball showcase in Asia.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer (38,387 points), six-time NBA Champion and six-time NBA MVP, highlights the camp as one of the four international coaches that will join a host of top CBA coaches. Kareem has NBA coaching experience with the LA Clippers and has also worked as a consultant for three NBA teams including most recently for the NY Knicks. Kareem has also won a USBL Championship in his first year as a head coach with the Oklahoma Storm. Kareem will be joined by the Atlanta Hawks’ Josh Smith, the 2005 Slam Dunk Champion, the Milwaukee Bucks’ Desmond Mason, the team's second-leading scorer this season and the 2001 Slam Dunk Champion, and former NBA All-Star and German basketball legend Detlef Schrempf. Other top coaches attending include Scott Layden, former GM and Assistant Coach of the Utah Jazz and former GM of the NY Knicks, and Daren Matsubara, President of the EBO (Elite Basketball Organization) in Fresno, California and regarded as the top Asian-American coach in the US AAU circuit.
The 2005 adidas superstar camp in Shanghai will feature “Basketball Psychology and Attitude”, an initiative created by adidas and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The course will cover the importance and differences that body language, physicality and differences in game preparation can mean across cultures. It will be taught on-court and also cover many real-life situations including trash-talk and media relations. "adidas approached me due to my passion for the globalization of culture and sport. Over a period of months, we worked together to create an itinerary. I especially wanted to teach the class on the basketball court - as kids learn the most through active participation," stated Abdul-Jabbar.
The 2004 adidas superstar camp in Shanghai introduced the world to “Basketball English”, a course created by Lawrence Norman, Head of Global Sports Marketing - International Basketball for adidas, and Alan Juffs, the Head of the English Language Department at the University of Pittsburgh (USA). The goal of Basketball English was to provide participants with some essential terminology and cultural elements unique to basketball. During 45-minute sessions, participants reviewed basic English clause structure with the focus on understanding each other out on the court.
Following the Shanghai camp, the adidas superstar camp in Atlanta, Georgia takes place on July 4-9, the first ever adidas superstar camp in Latin America will be in Sao Paolo, Brazil from August 3-7 and the final leg of the 2005 adidas global camp network is in Berlin with the adidas superstar camp Europe/Africa being held from August 17-21. The four camps will feature over 330 of the world’s top young ballers with some of the finest international coaches and NBA players joining in, making the adidas superstar camp series a truly global event. Norman added: "The adidas superstar camp is the only truly integrated high-performance basketball camp in our industry. It not only gives players the chance to compete against the world's best, but it is also a great opportunity for them to learn about different cultures and the way that basketball is taught and played in other parts of the world."
The adidas abc Camp began in the 1990's with camps in Europe and Asia. Detlef Schrempf was one of the driving forces behind the first adidas performance basketball camp, held in Berlin in the mid 1990's. He was a natural choice to help lead the adidas superstar camp in its initial year, 2004. Along with Washington Wizards NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas, Schrempf helped the 50 campers at last year's Shanghai camp. Three of the top players from that camp went on to the 2004 adidas superstar camp in Atlanta, with two of them making the All-Star at that camp as well! Denver Nuggets forward Nene and Portland Trail Blazers defensive specialist Theo Ratliff joined Schrempf in Berlin last July as 50 of Europe and Africa's top young ballers put their skills on display. By the end of 2004, adidas' global camp network was hailed by players, media, scouts and coaches around the globe as "the place to see and be seen" for the on-court and off-court heroes of tomorrow.
adidas has been providing innovative products for the world’s best athletes for more than 50 years, from NBA legends such as Jerry West, Oscar Robertson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to today’s superstars, such as Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, Grant Hill and Tracy McGrady.
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