Stephen Curry among big names to take part in virtual Jr. NBA Leadership Conference
A one-on-one conversation between ESPN NBA analyst Doris Burke and Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry is worth the price of admission.
Except this time, the cost is free, with the Jr. NBA’s Leadership Conference on May 15 going virtual during the global coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
For the previous three years, the Jr. NBA Leadership Conference was held in Chicago at the same time as the NBA’s draft combine. It allowed key participants, such as the NBA, USA Basketball, NCAA, state high school sports federations and other organizations, including the Boys and Girls Club and YMCA, to gather and address important issues and opportunities in youth basketball. But it was impossible to hold the event in-person this year.
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The conference, hosted by ESPN's Jay Bilas, will be livestreamed from noon-2:45 p.m. ET on May 15 on the NBA app, NBA.com and on the NBA and Jr. NBA’s Facebook, Twitter and YouTube accounts.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver plans to give opening remarks, followed by conversations, audience Q&As and panel and one-on-one discussions. One round-table discussion will feature Dallas Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle, Los Angeles Clippers coach Doc Rivers and Sacramento Kings assistant coach and former WNBA player Lindsey Harding.
Burke, who was diagnosed with COVID-19, will talk with Curry, whose charitable foundation is helping people affected by the pandemic.
The event will conclude with a basketball clinic featuring drills and exercises boys and girls can do at home in limited spaces.
“The effort around NBA Together really served as the underpinning, and it made it clear to us how important it is to deepen connections during these times,” NBA senior vice president and head of youth development David Krichavsky said.
The conference will also serve as a launching point for a new 12-episode Jr. NBA at Home podcast and weekly Jr. NBA Live Coaches Hangouts for youth coaches and program administrators to connect on a variety of topics.
“We knew we needed to continue the program in some way," Krichavsky said. “We think the broader NBA fan base will be interested as well, and one benefit of this is to expose new people to Jr. NBA who might not be familiar to our program."