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Some of the biggest names in recent NBA and WNBA history are crossing the ocean to spread the growth of basketball in England.
Philadelphia 76ers head coach Nick Nurse, Los Angeles Clippers center Ivica Zubac, five-time NBA champion Derek Fisher, two-time NBA champ Tyson Chandler and two-time WNBA champion Sylvia Fowles headline a group that will coach the 22nd Basketball Without Borders Europe camp.
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Derek Fisher, right, was Kobe Bryant’s teammate with the Lakers and won 5 NBA titles Credit: Getty Historic first for NBA in UK The event will be held August 12-15 at the National Basketball Performance Centre in Manchester.
It marks the first time that the NBA’s and FIBA’s global basketball development and community outreach program will be held in the United Kingdom.
“Hosting Basketball Without Borders in Manchester for the first time reflects the city’s thriving basketball culture and the growing level of talent in England and across the UK,” Neal Meyer, NBA Europe and Middle East Vice President of Basketball Operations said.
“We look forward to bringing together the next generation of European prospects to learn from players and coaches who have succeeded at the highest levels of the game.”
READ MORE ON NBA Kevin Huerter, Bryan Gates and Roy Rogers are also scheduled to coach the 60 high-school-age boys and girls from 27 countries, whose participation was revealed on Wednesday.
The NBA recently announced its expanded international schedule, which includes a regular-season game between Ja Morant’s Memphis Grizzlies and Paolo Banchero’s Orlando Magic at The O2 on January 18, 2026.
The NBA is set to play its first regular-season game at Co-op Live in Manchester in 2027.
BWB talent became NBA stars Fifty-three former BWB Europe campers have been drafted into the NBA and WNBA, including Nicolas Batum, 2025 NBA champion Isaiah Hartenstein, 2023 NBA All-Star Lauri Markkanen and Denver Nuggets star Jonas Valanciunas.
Nurse, 58, won the NBA Finals with the Toronto Raptors during the 2018-19 season. He was a player/coach for the Derby Rams in the British Basketball League in 1990-91.
BWB has reached more than 4,600 participants from 144 countries and territories since 2001, with 142 former campers drafted into the NBA and WNBA or signed as free agents.
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Ivica Zubac, right, is teammates with Kawhi Leonard, James Harden and Bradley Beal Credit: Getty
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Nick Nurse coaches the Philadelphia 76ers and won the NBA Finals with Toronto Credit: Getty
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Sylvia Fowles is a two-time WNBA champion Credit: Getty “This year’s Basketball Without Borders in Manchester marks an exciting milestone for the region’s growing basketball landscape,” said Kimberley Gaucher, FIBA Head of Players Unit.
“This camp will bring together promising young athletes from across Europe to train and learn from experienced international coaches and players, offering a unique opportunity to inspire and develop the next generation of basketball talent.
“We’re confident that participants will walk away not only with valuable skills, but also with lifelong lessons and memories.”
BWB Europe 2025 will be supported by Nike, which will outfit participants with apparel and footwear.
The Grizzlies and Magic will also play an NBA regular-season game at the Uber Arena in Berlin on January 15, 2026.
The NBA London Game 2026 will be the 19th contest featuring an NBA team in the UK since 1993, and the league’s 10th regular-season game in the city.
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The league — which is eyeing an eventual NBA Europe system — also announced that it will play regular-season games in Paris in 2027, and in Berlin and Paris in 2028.
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NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum said in June that basketball is the “fastest growing sport in the UK” and the region’s second most popular team sport.
“Manchester is honoured to host Basketball Without Borders Europe for the first time, marking another milestone in our journey as a global basketball city,” said John Hacking, Manchester City Council Executive Member for Skills, Employment and Leisure.
“With the NBA’s regular-season debut at Co-op Live on the horizon, this camp showcases our commitment to nurturing talent, inspiring communities and celebrating the power of sport.
Read More on talkSPORT “We’re proud to welcome the next generation of European stars to a city that truly understands and supports basketball at every level.”
Players participating in BWB Europe 2025 (roster subject to change):
GIRLS ROSTER NAME COUNTRY Annie Kibedi Belgium Jada Lynch Belgium Laura Vilcinskas Belgium Nika Gazic Croatia Laura Grunman Estonia Anna Gardziella Finland Jessi Nenonen Finland Emma Broliron France Kathy-Emma Otto France Isabella Marion Denmark Lili Schultze Germany Apostolia Zormpala Greece Kinga Babay-Bognar Hungary Kinga Josepovits Hungary Maya Zilbershlag Israel Francesca Baldassarre Italy Marianna Zanetti Italy Mila Luzgina Latvia Joyce Isi Etute Luxembourg Milena Vujovic Montenegro Siena Sanford Norway Zuzanna Marczynska Poland Carina-Ana Danciulescu Romania Daniela Hudecova Slovakia Nika Ocvirk Slovenia Maria Cintas Spain Adriana Diaz Spain Linnea Norberg Sweden Bo Guttormsdottir-Frost United Kingdom Athena Thompson United Kingdom BOYS ROSTER NAME COUNTRY Sten Markus Adamson Estonia Matthys Mahop France Swann Penda France Mate Khatiashvili Georgia Jamie Edoka Germany Lukas Klein Germany Chrysostomos Chatzilamprou Greece Patrik Birmingham Iceland Thomas Acunzo Italy Federico Cattapan Italy Ricards Aizpurs Latvia Ignas Stombergas Lithuania Emilis Zibuda Lithuania Max Jungers Luxembourg Maksim Brnovic Montenegro Jayden Anike Netherlands Teun van der Heijden Netherlands Gabriel Sularski Poland Nikola Karalic Serbia Stefan Joksimovic Slovenia Diego Niebla Spain Daniel Osayi Spain Alfonso Rodriguez Spain Lucas Sanchez Spain Malcolm Price Sweden Anil Alyanak Turkey Omer Ziyaettin Turkey Emmanuel Ahamefule United Kingdom Ike Davids United Kingdom Obinna Ekufu United Kingdom
Source: TalkSport | Continue to Full Story…
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