Basketball Without Borders Next Up Camp Concludes in Istanbul, Honoring Top Young Talent

Istanbul recently hosted the conclusion of the Basketball Without Borders (BWB) Next Up boys' camp, a four-day event that brought together 78 high school athletes from 44 countries. This intensive program provided a platform for young talent to hone their skills under the guidance of prominent basketball figures.

Coaching and mentorship were provided by NBA Head Coach Kenny Atkinson of the Cleveland Cavaliers, alongside NBA players Brook Lopez and Jalen Suggs. Esteemed NBA legends Vlade Divac and Danilo Gallinari also contributed their expertise. Among the 55 international participants, five promising young players from Turkey were selected to join the camp.

The camp culminated in an awards ceremony at the Turkcell Basketball Development Center. Athletes were recognized for their achievements on and off the court, receiving honors such as the Kim Bohuny Camp MVP, Patrick Baumann Sportsmanship Award, Three-Point Championship, Best Defender Award, and Playoff MVP.

Matija Lukic from Serbia was named the Kim Bohuny Camp MVP, while Neora Francis Ossete Toly from the Democratic Republic of Congo received the Patrick Baumann Sportsmanship Award. Noah D'Acre of Canada won the Three-Point Championship, Miguel Sousa from Portugal earned the Best Defender Award, and Marko Popovic from Montenegro was recognized as the Play-off MVP.

Furthermore, several standout performers from the Istanbul camp have earned invitations to future BWB All-Star camps, which are held in conjunction with NBA All-Star events. These include Aaron Ona Embo (Belgium), Dwight Gaines (Puerto Rico), Imran Subasic (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Darius Karutasu (Turkey), Lucai Anderson (Germany), Marek Houska (Czech Republic), Matija Lukic (Serbia), Minty Jean-Philippe Dylan Oka (Ivory Coast), Miguel Sousa (Portugal), and Yahya Başaran (Australia). This initiative marks the third time Istanbul has hosted a BWB camp, and it is the first implementation of the program's new format, which includes separate camps for male and female athletes outside the U.S.