East African Business Week

KAMPALA, UGANDA - As schools go have gone on recess, youth both in school with a talent in basketball have been provided a platform to mix and mingle with players, legends and scouts from the National Basketball Association (NBA).
This is after Coca-cola Central, East and West Africa partnered with the NBA to bring the Sprite Slam to upcoming, talented basketball players in the country.
The event that kicked off over the weekend provided an opportunity to two talented basketball stars between the ages of 16 and 19 to travel to South Africa to take part in FIBA's elite development camp, Basketball Without Borders (BWB) Africa to be held in Johannesburg from September 1 - 4. The excelling players will be chosen to go the United States and could be drafted into the prestigious NBA.
The event in Kampala attracted 50 youngsters who had been scouted by the Sprite team. It has also just concluded in Nairobi, Kenya. The NBA entourage that came to Kampala included John Manyo Plange - NBA Development Africa, Glen Anthony Rice, Martin McBride Conlon, both former NBA players and Masai Ujiri, General Manager of the Denver Nuggets in the NBA.
Margaret Kigozi, Coca-cola Uganda brand manager said that eight players below the age of 16 will be chosen to go to Nairobi, Kenya for the East African Sprite camp.
Mr. Ambrose Tashobya, the FUBA president said this will go a long way in equipping youngsters with skills at an early age.
"This will enable more youngsters step up their game and also provide the much needed new crop of players for the basketball league", he said.
Sprite slam was launched in East Africa in August 2009.