By Constanza Mora Pedraza – AIPS Member

MEXICO CITY, January 13, 2023, The 29 best prospects in women’s basketball in the American continent are ready to take part in the fourth NBA Academy Women’s Camp Latin America, which will take place at La Loma Sports Center, in San Luis Potosí, Mexico, from January 16 – 19, 2023, highlighting that La Loma is a state-of-the-art sports complex and home of the NBA Academy Latin America.

THE BEST PROSPECTS

The host, Mexico, is the country that will contribute the most players, followed by Brazil, which will have 4, and Argentina, that will have 3; there will be 13 countries in total, that will be represented by the best prospective players in each of their nations, in the so-called Latin American and Caribbean high school prospects and who will learn under the guidance of WNBA players and coaches such as Ariel Atkins (Washington Mystics) 2019 champion and two-times WNBA All-Star; Three-times WNBA All-Star Danielle Robinson (Indiana Fever) and two-times WNBA Champion Jordin Canada (Los Angeles Sparks) as well as former players Taj McWilliams-Franklin, two-times WNBA Champion; and the former Puerto Rican national player Carla Cortijo, they will also have Cinnamon Lister, assistant coach of the Phoenix Mercury selection as the technical director of the camp who will be accompanied by Carol Callan, director of the USA Basketball Women’s National Team, also several Mexican trainers will be present.

THE SELECTED ONES

Argentina: Sol Depetris, Milagros Morel, Isabella Boullon Faifer

Bahamas: Terrell McCoy

Brazil: Manuela Barros Alvez, Sara Martins de Souza, Micaela Cavalcanti, Sther Ifeyoma Ubaka

Bolivia: Sofia Reyes

Chile: Amanda Guineo, Emilia Oliva

Colombia: Lissa Forero, Maria Perez

Ecuador: Paula Carrillo, Nahomi Nazareno

Mexico: Sandra Acuña, Canal Ochoa, Mariant Castillo, Ariadna Vidales, Francia Santiesteban, Samantha Canizalez.

Paraguay: Gabriela Bernal

Puerto Rico: Sofia Munoz, Mia Canales

Dominican Republic: Emely Belis Del Rosario, Alanna Monte de Oca

Uruguay: Josefina Piacenza, Camila Postlgioni

Venezuela: Valeria Montero Pina

(This list may be subject to change)

AIMS

The NBA Academy Women’s Camp Latin America will consist of the development of basketball techniques, competitions and programs for daily life and leadership skills. “There is a lot of excitement surrounding women’s basketball throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, and the NBA Academy Women’s Program is at the center of our efforts to help grow the sport at an elite level and help young women maximize their potential,” said Marc Pulles, Senior Director of Basketball Operations for NBA Mexico. “We are excited to be working with some of the best prospects from across the region to help them develop as players and leaders while providing them with a memorable learning experience from WNBA players, legends and coaches.” He added.

NBA ACADEMY WOMEN’S PROGRAM

The program was launched in 2018 with a series of basketball development camps for some of the best female athletes outside of the United States at league academies located in Australia, India, Mexico and Senegal. The previous three NBA Academy Women’s Latin America camps were held in Mexico in March 2018, March 2019, and January 2020. Ten former NBA Academy Women’s Camp Latin America participants have committed to or attend NCAA Division I schools in the United States. In 2021, 13 women from Latin America were among the 50 players selected to participate in the NBA Academy Women’s Virtual Program, an eight-week initiative for the basketball development and leadership for high-performance women athletes, in a training age outside the US.

NBA ACADEMY

Launched in 2017, it is an elite basketball development program that offers a holistic approach for the best players outside of the United States throughout the year, and also helps with a predictable path to maximize their talent. Emphasis is placed on health and wellness, character development, and life skills, and provides athletes with an opportunity to learn from coaches with professional, collegiate, or international experience. The program has crossed borders, having been in Canberra, Australia; Greater Noida, India; San Luis Potosi, Mexico; and Saly, Senegal, helping top prospects from their respective countries and continents. So far, 23 players from the NBA Academy Latin America have participated -including players from the Women’s Program- who have committed to NCAA Division 1 schools in the United States.