LUCKY STUDENTS from Tower Hamlets were graced by basketball legends for a once-in-a-lifetime coaching experience – just hours before the NBA London Game at the O2 Arena.

Four boys from Bow School were part of a group of 40 children who spent the morning working with NBA stars and coaches at a Jr. NBA Day clinic at CitySport in Clerkenwell.

The event was staged as part of the activities relating to the NBA London Game 2019 between the Washington Wizards and New York Knicks, providing another fantastic opportunity for Jr. NBA participants to enjoy incredible experiences through basketball.

Three-time NBA champion Bruce Bowen, 1978 champion Phil Chenier, Wizards legend Gheorghe Muresan, the tallest player ever to play in the NBA, and John Amaechi, a Brit who played in the NBA for three different teams between 1995 and 2003, were among the stars coaching on the day.

Bow School student Jephte Amani-Kahozi, 11, said: “It’s inspired me to keep doing better when I play the sport. I was excited to come here but didn’t expect to see so many good professional players.

“The tips they have helped my skills with things like pivoting and layups. They are all skills you need when you’re playing matches. It’s a good way to learn to improve them.

“Having the Jr. NBA clinic here in London is a great opportunity to learn from them and make us all better players.”

Other stars helping out included 2015 WNBA MVP Elena Delle Donne, her Washington Mystics teammate Natasha Cloud and their coach Mike Thibault, who has the most wins of any women’s coach in the sport.

Manchester United Women’s football players Siobhan Chamberlain, Mollie Green and Millie Turner also attended and took part in the coaching session.

All the athletes completed a question and answer session with the children before posing for photos and signing autographs.

Jr. NBA Basketball England Leagues are designed to leverage the excitement of the NBA to inspire participation, and the programme aims to promote the shared NBA and Basketball England values of teamwork, leadership, fitness and healthy living through league games, Jr. NBA youth clinics, and league Finals events.

In 2018, Basketball England expanded their Jr. NBA offering significantly, moving from five to 13 leagues across the country, with more than 4,500 children aged 11 and 12 now participating in the programme annually.

Tarryn Algar, teacher and basketball coach at Bow School, said: “Basketball builds their work ethic. It just disciplines you in so many areas - timekeeping and just being a good teammate.

“I tell the kids everything you do on the basketball court transfers to real life. There’s lots of lessons for them to learn. The kids were over the moon to be invited here.

“It gives them an early insight to a professional set up and how it’s run. This game them a chance to see what being a professional is about.

“Their confidence can shoot through the roof by being there and seeing the vision of where they could be.

“The clinics are going the extra mile to help players. They could come and go home but they’re investing in-our next generation of players and giving something back.”

To find out more about Basketball England the Jr. NBA programme, please go to www.Basketballengland.co.uk/Jrnba