Inspiring Bhutanese youth to aim high and dream big, a two-day basketball clinic hosted by the Basketball Federation of Bhutan and NBA Cares, led by former NBA star Jason Collins, wrapped up on 27th October in Thimphu. The NBA Cares aim to connect NBA teams and players with communities through the power of basketball. Young athletes aged 8 to 19 not only honed their basketball skills but also had the rare opportunity to learn from a player who has left a historic mark on the sport.
Jason Collins is a former professional basketball player from the United States who played for 13 seasons as a centre in the NBA.
Collins was selected by the Houston Rockets as the 18th overall pick in the 2001 NBA draft. Over his career spanning 13 years, he played for several teams, including the Brooklyn Nets, Boston Celtics, Atlanta Hawks and Washington Wizards.
In 2013, Collins made history as the first openly gay athlete in a major North American sports league and was featured on the cover of Time magazine’s “100 Most Influential People” in 2014.
Jason now brings his experience and prominence to Bhutan. During the two-day clinic, more than 80 young basketball enthusiasts had the opportunity to meet and learn from Jason.
“I guess in the future, as well as today, hopefully, all the kids will have fun, and they learn something about the sport of basketball. And then, in the future, I hope that the first of many retired former NBA players, or maybe even a WNBA player, to come and do a basketball clinic here so that we can get more athletes to teach their knowledge of the game to the great kids here at Bhutan.”
Jason is already looking forward to improving collaborative initiatives in the future to give the youths of Bhutan more experiences like today. He also added that these types of programmes are important for the exchange of ideas and cultures based on the love for the sport of basketball.
“When I get back to the States, I would have conversations with the people at the league office and say this is something that we need to do more of. I love to see the passion and love for basketball shown by Bhutanese youths. It would be interesting to see how it continues to grow over the next several years, with the country also becoming developed with plans such as that of a new city in the south.”
The participants expressed gratitude for the chance to meet and learn from former NBA player Jason Collins, who inspired them to improve their basketball skills and work harder toward their goals.
“Well, first of all, being allowed to meet Sir Jason is a huge honour. And through this experience, I would say that all of us were able to enhance our skills even more. And he gave us the motivation to work even harder in achieving our goals,” said Dolkar Lhamo Norbu, a participant.
“For me, it was a big opportunity that the Basketball Federation has given me, and I have learned a lot, like dribbling balls, shooting, basic layups, basic passing and all. I feel glad that I took this opportunity and that I got coached by Jason Collins, one of the former NBA players,” said Jigme Yoesel Dorji, another participant.
One of the primary goals of this programme is to connect Bhutan’s young talent with NBA Cares, potentially paving the way for training and mentorship opportunities for potential athletes in the country.
“The Basketball Federation couldn’t have done it alone, so we collaborated with the Bhutan Foundation. They have been nice to collaborate with us, and then the Bhutan Foundation’s representative from the US has reached out to us regarding bringing in an NBA player,” said Sonam Choki, programme officer of the Bhutan Basketball Federation.
The federation added that they consider the event as a big achievement for getting a player with professional experience and conducting programmes for youths. In the future, the federation has plans to send such programmes to other parts of the country as well and not just focus on Thimphu.
Sonam Dendup
Edited by Kipchu
