NBA stars Ricky Rubio and Peja Stojakovic light up Dubai Sports World

Jay Asser 21:10 25/08/2015
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  • Ricky Rubio and Peja Stojakovic were guest coaches at Basketball Academy's camp.

    NBA star Ricky Rubio and former sharpshooter Peja Stojakovic delighted kids as guest coaches at Basicball Academy’s basketball camp Monday.

    Young players at the camp had the opportunity to rub elbows with the international pair at Dubai Sports World as they went through drills at different stations before taking on Rubio and Stojakovic in a shooting competition at the end.

    For a nation still striving to develop the sport of basketball from the grassroots level, the presence of Rubio and Stojakovic was another step in furthering the progress of the game in the UAE.

    “They have the structure and I’ll definitely be supportive. I like the idea of promoting the sport here and hopefully in the near future the game of basketball will get more popular,” Stojakovic, most known for his seven years with the Sacramento Kings, told Sport360.

    “Having the facilities is always a plus. The kids these days have the opportunityto see the NBA on a daily basis, not like 20 to 25 years ago. They can follow the stars on social media so they have the tools to follow the NBA.

    Kids at the camp faced Ricky Rubio and Peja Stojakovic in a shooting competition.

    “It’s just about passing on some of our experiences and letting them know basketball is a game they should love, enjoy and respect.”

    Despite having been in Dubai for only a matter of hours after landing early on Monday morning, Rubio was impressed with the enthusiasm of the kids who were eager to soak up everything he and Stojakovic doled out.

    “It’s amazing how big the things are here and a lot of kids here play sports, not just basketball,” said the point guard of the Minnesota Timberwolves.

    “It’s amazing. I sat down with them and they were asking a lot of questions. They really want to know, learn how to play basketball and learn how to get better and that’s great.”

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    The young crowd that took part in the camp was a representation of where Stojakovic feels the sport’s attention needs to be to improve the overall quality.

    “If you want to grow a particular sport in the nation, then you should have a variety of sports in schools at a very young age,” Stojakovic said. “Learning from a young age, learning what basketball is all about and inserting that bug.”

    One of the children taking part in the camp, 15-year-old Maksim Nelepa, was ecstatic to meet his idols. The Macedonian, who plays at the shooting guard position, received invaluable tips from the pros to raise his own game.

    Peja Stojakovic is well known as one of the greatest 3-point shooters of all time.

    “That was a dream come true. They’re two of my favourite basketball players and to actually meet them, see them in person and get advice from them, was something that I’ve dreamed of since I was a kid,” Nelepa said. “Them being able to provide it and to do it in such a great way, where we could enjoy the experience with amazing players, it was really great.

    “I’m so glad we had the opportunity to see one of the greatest playmakers of our time (Rubio) and one of the best shooters in history (Stojakovic). I couldn’t be luckier.”

    In addition to yesterday’s star power, Houston Rockets centre Dwight Howard made a surprise appearance on the camp’s first day on Sunday.

    The camp continues every morning until Friday, August 28.

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