Minnesota Timberwolves star Ricky Rubio and former Dallas Mavericks ace Peja Stojakovic will be hosting a basketball skills academy next month to bring the curtain down on Dubai Sports World’s sizzling summer of activities.
Spanish point guard Rubio, 24, and 38-year-old Stojakovic, a FIBA World Cup winner with Yugoslavia, will be on hand to provide pointers and share their experiences with budding ballers of all ages and abilities during the six-day training academy between August 22-28.
This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for any basketball fan, with participants getting up close and personal with some of the most talented players and coaches in the game today, working on everything from basic dribbling and passing to personal shooting training.
Stojakovic was part of the Yugoslavia team that won FIBA gold in the United States in 2002, the small forward part of a team that secured a thrilling 84-77 overtime victory over Argentina as Yugoslavia retained their title and won their fifth in all.
He enjoyed a stellar 13-year career in the NBA and signed off with a championship ring in 2011 with the Mavericks, who won their maiden title.
Rubio, meanwhile, has been a Timberwolves player since 2011 and won an Olympic silver medal with Spain at the 2008 Games in Beijing.
Stojakovic said: “I know basketball is very popular in the UAE so I’m looking forward to seeing what talent is out there at Dubai Sports World. I hold the game very close to my heart and I hope I can pass on some of the skills and knowledge I learnt during my career.”
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Stojakovic will be running shooting sessions while Rubio will be passing on some top tips and tricks on dribbling skills and sharing his secrets on being a top point guard.
“It’s fantastic that we are able to welcome such talented players to the academy in Dubai,” added Zoran Savic, himself a former top European basketball player and founder of BasicBall Academy, who will be running the academy in partnership with DSW.
“We pride ourselves on being able to give our members the best training and Dubai Sports World is the perfect venue for us – the atmosphere is electric and we’re expecting a real buzz next month,” he said.
EX @dallasmavs #NBA Champion Peja Stojakovic ‘excited’ to seeing UAE talent @DXBSportsWorld http://t.co/jZcq8FIOv2 pic.twitter.com/SVIA4gkXxB
— Sport360° (@Sport360) July 22, 2015
Groups will be split into four age categories and each student will get personal coaching and training on their own game. Sessions run from 08:00-12:00 across the six days.
DSW has also rolled-out its largest and most diverse roster of summer camps and team, corporate and community tournaments this summer. Spaces are limited and organisers are encouraging fans to register interest fast by emailing [email protected].
For more information on registering, making bulk bookings or organising unique team-building activities across a variety of sports, log on to www.dubaisportsworld.ae.
