The National Basketball Association (NBA) and Karim Family Foundation (KFF), a grant-making philanthropic organisation dedicated to uplifting the underserved in Singapore, today announced a multi-year collaboration that makes KFF the Official Community Partner of the “NBA Rising Stars Invitational”. The tournament is the league’s first regional high-school basketball tournament and will feature boys’ and girls’ teams from 11 countries and territories across Asia-Pacific competing at the Kallang Alive Precinct from Wednesday, June 25 – Sunday, June 29 as part of a multi-day immersive basketball and entertainment festival.

The announcement was made by NBA Asia Head of Marketing Communications Sheila Rasu and KFF Principal Cindy Karim at a launch event at Spectra Secondary School, which also included a Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA clinic for their students. As the Official Community Partner of the NBA Rising Stars Invitational, KFF will receive in-venue branding and serve as the Title Partner of a Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA clinic on Saturday, June 28 for boys and girls ages 10-12 from the local community including participants from SportCares, Sport Singapore’s philanthropic arm dedicated to empowering individuals from vulnerable backgrounds through sport, as well as a Her Time to Play clinic and leadership panel led by a WNBA legend on Sunday, June 29.

“We are delighted to be the Official Community Partner of the NBA Rising Stars Invitational,” said Karim. “My family and I have always believed in the power of sport to inspire ambition, build character and unite communities. Through Karim Family Foundation’s support of the sporting community, we hope to encourage young athletes in Singapore to pursue their dreams professionally and to see sports as a meaningful and fulfilling career path. This collaboration is also part of our broader vision to elevate Singapore’s standing as a vibrant and competitive sporting hub on the regional and international stage.”

“Karim Family Foundation is a pillar of the Singapore community and shares our commitment to uplifting local communities and youth empowerment through basketball,” said Rasu. “We look forward to working together to inspire young boys and girls in Singapore through our Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA and Her Time to Play programs in conjunction with the first NBA Rising Stars Invitational.”

Operated by the event agencies of NBA Singapore, the first annual NBA Rising Stars Invitational will feature boys’ and girls’ divisions comprised of standout high-school teams of youth ages 18 and under. The five-day tournament will tip off with round-robin play before advancing to single-elimination competition, with pool games taking place from June 25-27, culminating with the semi-finals and final games on June 28 and 29. The participating players will also take part in skill development, social responsibility programming and off-court activities promoting cultural exchange.

The Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA, the league’s global youth basketball program for boys and girls, teaches the fundamental skills and core values of the game – teamwork, respect, determination and community – at the grassroots level in an effort to help grow and improve the youth basketball experience for players, coaches and parents. Her Time to Play is the league’s initiative dedicated to championing change for girls and women and providing them with ways to connect, collaborate and actively engage with the game of basketball and one another. Her Time to Play increases opportunities for girls and women in leadership across the youth basketball landscape, focusing on increasing basketball participation among female players, coaches, referees, mentors and administrators.

Additional information about the multi-day basketball and entertainment festival and the NBA Rising Stars Invitational, including ticket information, marketing partners and media partners, will be announced at a later date. For more information, visit nba.com/risingstarsinvitational and follow NBA Rising Stars Invitational on Instagram for the latest news and updates about the event.

Photo Credit: NBA