NEW YORK (AP) — The NBA has agreed to a multiyear partnership with China’s Ministry of Education to incorporate basketball curriculum in elementary, middle and high schools across the country.
The league announced the deal Friday in Beijing. The league says the initiative will provide enhanced basketball training to 3 million students by 2017.
Commissioner Adam Silver says the partnership will help “our long-standing commitment with the Chinese Basketball Association to grow the game in China.”
The program will bring NBA players, former stars and coaches to Chinese schools for clinics and specialized instruction for Chinese physical education teachers and coaches.
The NBA will also help the Ministry of Education in operating the country’s youth basketball leagues.
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