8 Boys and 8 Girls Named Newest All_Stars of Jr.NBA Philippines 2017 Presented by Alaska

Youth players from the Regional Selection Camp in Metro Manila shined the brightest among 72 boys and girls in the National Training Camp of Jr. NBA Philippines 2017 presented by Alaska held at the Don Bosco Technical Institute May 12-13 and at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall on May 14, attended by Orlando Magic guard Elfrid Payton and former WNBA All-Star Sue Wicks.

Jr. NBA, the league’s global youth basketball participation program for boys and girls, teaches fundamental skills, builds character, and promotes active lifestyles for Filipinos nationwide.  Payton and Wicks joined Jr. NBA Coaches Chris Sumner and Jeffrey Cariaso in training and working with the young campers throughout the National Training Camp.  Jr. NBA Asia Advisory Council members including NBA Legend Dikembe Mutombo also attended the final day of the National Training Camp.

Eight boys and eight girls—comprised of players from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao—were selected as Jr. NBA All-Stars on the last day of the three-day camp that honed and tested the basketball skills of regional finalists from tryouts staged in Cagayan de Oro, Lucena, Cebu and Manila earlier this year.

Kenji Trey Duremdes, 14, Jan Clement Macalalag, 13, and Victorino Torres, 13, of La Salle Greenhills; Joachim Eddie Laure of University of Santo Tomas High School; Johndel Austria, 13, of Escuela de Sophia-Caloocan; Ian Dominic Espinosa, 13, of Ateneo de Iloilo; Reinhard Jumanoy, 13, of University of San Carlos-North Campus; and Jeryk Dwight Bait, 14, of St. Francis National High School in Lucena represent the boys named as Jr. NBA Philippines 2017 All-Stars.

The girls selected as Jr. NBA All-Stars are composed of Boni Marylene Solis, 12; Jane Araza, 13, and Jeehan Nikaela Ahmed, 13, of Chiang Kai Shek College; Jazmine Ann Maniquis, 13, of St. Paul Pasig; Lindsey Nacional, 13, of La Salle College Antipolo; Camille Nolasco, 14, of Miriam College; and Chinnsai Demana, 13, of the University of the Visayas in Cebu.

Catrina June Biongcog of Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan and Jed Cabellon of Southwestern Univerrsity of Cebu meanwhile were selected as the Jr. NBA Philippines 2017 Coaches of the Year.  The Jr. NBA All-Stars together with the Coaches of the Year will be rewarded with an overseas NBA experience later this year and will be joined by fellow Jr. NBA All-Stars from Southeast Asia.

The following players also received special awards for their outstanding achievements in the National Training Camp: Mariela Avila of Lucena and Zean Paolo Moreno of Cagayan De Oro, Panasonic Rising S.T.A.R. Award; Camille Nolasco of Manila and Ian Espinosa of Iloilo, Cloudfone All-Star Players of the Game;  Princess Delig of Cebu and Johndel Austria of Manila, Gatorade Hustle Award; Yza Camila Alarcon of Manila and Maverick John Vieto of Lucena, Globe Telecom Sportsmanship Award; Camille Nolasco and Joachim Eddie Laure of Manila, Alaska Ambassadors; and Boni Marylene Solis and Kenji Duremdes, Jr. NBA Most Valuable Players.

Additionally, the National Training Camp showcased the fifth edition of the Jr. NBA All-Star alumni game hosting several past Jr. NBA All-Stars who have ascended in the amateur and collegiate ranks, and staged the first ever alumni homecoming of the Jr. NBA Philippines program.

For more information, fans can follow Jr. NBA on Facebook at www.facebook.com/jrnbaphilippines.  For all things NBA, fans can visit www.nba.com, like the NBA on Facebook at www.facebook.com/philsnba and follow www.twitter.com/nba_philippines on Twitter.

To learn more about the Alaska Milk Corporation, visit www.alaskamilk.com and www.playph.com.

Orlando Magic's Elfrid Payton and Former WNBA Player Sue Wicks to Coach Filipino Youth at Jr.NBA National Training Camp

The National Basketball Association (NBA) today announced that Elfrid Payton of the Orlando Magic and former WNBA player Sue Wicks will travel to Manila to participate in the Jr. NBA Philippines 2017 National Training Camp and help coach players from around the country vying to be named 2017 Jr. NBA All-Stars.  The National Training Camp will be held at the Don Bosco Technical Institute May 12-13 and at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall on May 14.

Payton and Wicks will also serve as coaches at the annual Jr. NBA Alumni All-Star Game featuring past Jr. NBA standouts from across the country.  Participation in this year’s program increased by 50 percent from 2016, reaching more than 30,000 players and coaches in cities including Bacolod, Batangas, Cagayan De Oro, Cebu, Davao, Lucena, Metro Manila, and Puerto Princesa.

“I’m excited to visit the Philippines for the first time and experience the country’s enthusiastic basketball culture,” said Payton.  “These young players have worked hard to be a part of this camp, and I can’t wait to get on the court with them.”

“Having visited the Philippines before, I’ve seen firsthand the passion that young boys and girls here have for the game,” said Wicks.  “I’m looking forward to the trip and to working with the Jr. NBA participants to help take their game to the next level.”

Payton, who was drafted 10^th overall in the 2014 NBA Draft, was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 2015.  He averaged 12.8 points, 6.5 assists, and 4.7 rebounds per game with the Magic this season.

Wicks, a former WNBA All-Star, was selected 6^th overall in the 1997 WNBA Draft.  She spent six seasons in the WNBA with the New York Liberty and was inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013.

The Jr. NBA Philippines 2017 presented by Alaska culminates with the National Training Camp, which features the top 37 boys and top 37 girls participating in advanced fundamental skills training and exhibition games.  The finalists were selected from Jr. NBA Regional Selection Camps in Cagayan De Oro, Cebu, Manila, and Quezon, and from the Alaska Power Camp in Manila. 

At the end of the National Training Camp, eight boys and eight girls will be selected as Jr. NBA All-Stars and will embark on an overseas NBA experience trip with fellow Jr. NBA All-Stars from Southeast Asia later this year.  The program will also feature the selection of the 2017 Jr. NBA Coaches of the Year who will join the Jr. NBA All-Stars on the overseas trip.

The Jr. NBA, the league’s global youth basketball participation program for boys and girls, teaches the fundamental skills and the core values of the game at the grassroots level in an effort to help grow and improve the youth basketball experience for players, coaches, and parents.  During the 2016-17 season, the NBA will reach more than 18 million youth in 53 countries through its youth participation initiatives.

The Jr. NBA Philippines presented by Alaska continues to promote proper nutrition and an active lifestyle, serving as an effective platform in implementing Alaska Milk’s NUTRITION.ACTION.CHAMPION. program that helps address the issue of overweight and undernourished children in the Philippines.

Cloudfone, Gatorade, Globe Telecom, and Panasonic serve as Official Partners of the Jr. NBA in the Philippines, while Spalding is a Supporting Partner.  ABS-CBN Sports + Action, Basketball TV and NBA Premium TV are the Official NBA Broadcasters of the Jr. NBA in the Philippines.

Fans can follow Jr. NBA at www.jrnba.asia/philippines and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/jrnbaphilippines.  For all things NBA, visit www.nba.com and follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/philsnba) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/nba_philippines).

To learn more about the Alaska Milk Corporation, visit www.alaskamilk.com and www.playph.com.

About the NBA

The NBA is a global sports and media business built around three professional sports leagues: the National Basketball Association, the Women’s National Basketball Association, and the NBA Development League. The league has established a major international presence with games and programming in 215 countries and territories in 49 languages, and NBA merchandise for sale in more than 125,000 stores in 100 countries on 6 continents. NBA rosters at the start of the 2016-17 season featured a record 113 international players from 41 countries and territories. NBA Digital’s assets include NBA TV, NBA.com and the NBA App, which achieved record viewership and traffic during the 2015-16 season. The NBA has created one of the largest social media communities in the world, with more than 1.3 billion likes and followers globally across all league, team, and player platforms. Through NBA Cares, the league addresses important social issues by working with internationally recognized youth-serving organizations that support education, youth and family development, and health-related causes.

About Alaska Milk

Alaska Milk recognizes the need of Filipino children for proper nutrition.  According to the 2011 National Nutrition Survey conducted by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI), it was revealed that 3 out of 10 children aged 5-10 years were underweight while 8 out of 100 children of the same age were overweight, making malnutrition and obesity two of the most pressing nutritional problems in the Philippines today.  Alaska Milk is committed to help provide proper nutrition through its leading brands, Alaska Powdered Milk Drink and Alaska Chocolate Powdered Milk Drink.  It contains 20+ essential nutrients that help children reach their full growth potential.  Aside from proper nutrition, an active lifestyle is needed in order to shape and nurture healthier children.  Because of this, Alaska Milk encourages children to “go out and play” through its NUTRITION. ACTION. CHAMPION. programs: Alaska Basketball and Football Power Camps and Cups, Alaska IronKids Triathlon, Alaska Family Run and Alaska Cycle Philippines.  At the same time, Alaska Milk has a professional basketball team, the 14-time PBA champion, Alaska Aces, which continues to inspire the youth to become future champions who are guided by positive values.  Finally, Alaska Milk partners with excellent local and international organizations who share the same objectives, vision, and values namely the Philippine Basketball Association, National Basketball Association, World Triathlon Corporation, Cycle Asia, Makati and Alabang Football Schools and Sunrise Events, Incorporated.

*This is Press Release

Lebron James Tops NBA's Most Popular Jerseys List in the Philippines

2016 NBA Finals MVP LeBron James captured the top spot on the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) list of most popular jerseys in the Philippines, the NBA announced today.  Highlighting sales from the four NBA Stores in the Philippines, the list features reigning back-to-back NBA MVP Stephen Curry at No. 2, and four-time NBA All-Star Kyrie Irving at No. 3.

The Golden State Warriors lead the list of most-popular team merchandise, followed by the Cleveland Cavaliers at No. 2 and the Los Angeles Lakers at No. 3.

Rankings are based on in-store sales since the beginning of the 2016-17 NBA season.

Top 10 Selling Jerseys

1.      LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers

2.      Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors

3.      Kyrie Irving, Cleveland Cavaliers

4.      James Harden, Houston Rockets

5.      Dwyane Wade, Chicago Bulls

6.      Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs

7.      Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder

8.      Klay Thompson, Golden State Warriors

9.      Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers

10.  Jimmy Butler, Chicago Bulls

Top 5 Most Popular Teams

1.      Golden State Warriors

2.      Cleveland Cavaliers

3.      Los Angeles Lakers

4.      Chicago Bulls

5.      San Antonio Spurs

Fans can purchase NBA merchandise through the four NBA Stores in the Philippines, located in Manila at Glorietta 3, Mega Fashion Hall, TriNoma, and in Cebu at Ayala Center.

New Era to Become the Official Headwear Partner of the NBA, WNBA and NBA D-League

New Era and the National Basketball Association (NBA) announced today an expanded global licensing partnership that makes the brand the official authentic headwear provider of the NBA, Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) and NBA Development League (NBA D-League).

As the league’s official authentic headwear provider, New Era will exclusively produce caps for marquee NBA events, including the NBA Draft presented by State Farm^®, Conference Finals and NBA Finals, with key products like the NBA Draft Cap and Official Locker Room Championship Cap.  The multiyear deal comes as the NBA celebrates its 20-year relationship with New Era, and will include marketing and retail activations within league and team platforms.

“We’ve been a partner of the NBA for many years and are excited for the opportunity to continue to work with such a storied league and its outstanding teams,” said Chris Koch, President & CEO, New Era.  “We’re looking forward to using team and league logos to bring unique designs and styles to the market for both players and fans.”

As part of the expanded partnership, New Era launched the 59FIFTY fitted headwear collection for the start of the 2016-17 season, and will unveil lifestyle-inspired products during NBA All-Star 2017 in New Orleans.  Additionally, New Era will produce all headwear silhouettes with current team marks, including the 9FIFTY Snapback, internationally.

“We’re very excited to grow our relationship with New Era and explore new ways to share premium product with our fans,” said NBA Vice President, Global Partnerships Lisa Piken Koper.  “The NBA Draft and Finals will reflect our refreshed approach to the category.”

Merchandise will be available at www.NBAStore.com, www.neweracap.com, the Flagship NBA Store on Fifth Avenue in New York City, all NBA team venues, and at New Era flagship stores and retailers around the world.

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ABOUT NEW ERA

Since 1920, New Era has been hand-crafting the finest headwear in the world. Today, with apparel and accessories lines, the brand is a market leader rooted in sports and an influencer of street and lifestyle culture around the globe. With over 500 licenses in its portfolio, New Era is the brand of choice in the worlds of sport, fashion, music and entertainment.  The Company is headquartered in Buffalo, N.Y., and its products are sold in more than 80 countries. For more information on New Era’s global offices and partnerships, visit www.neweracap.com and social channels @neweracap.

ABOUT NBA

The NBA is a global sports and media business built around three professional sports leagues: the National Basketball Association, the Women’s National Basketball Association, and the NBA Development League.  The league has established a major international presence with games and programming in 215 countries and territories in 49 languages, and NBA merchandise for sale in more than 125,000 stores in 100 countries on 6 continents.  NBA rosters at the start of the 2015-16 season featured 100 international players from 37 countries and territories.  NBA Digital’s assets include NBA TV, NBA.com and the NBA App, which achieved record viewership and traffic during the 2015-16 season.  The NBA has created one of the largest social media communities in the world, with more than one billion likes and followers globally across all league, team, and player platforms.  Through NBA Cares, the league addresses important social issues by working with internationally recognized youth-serving organizations that support education, youth and family development, and health-related causes.

*This is Press Release

Defending Champion Cleveland Cavaliers to Host New York Knicks on Opening Night

MANILA, PHILIPPINES, Oct. 24, 2016 – The National Basketball Association (NBA) will tip off its 71st season on Wednesday, Oct. 26 with three games on opening night.   The NBA Champion Cleveland Cavaliers will host the New York Knicks at 7:30 p.m. ET, followed by the second game, the Portland Trail Blazers will host the Utah Jazz at 10 p.m. ET.  For the third game, the San Antonio Spurs will visit the Golden State Warriors at 10:30 p.m. ET for a matchup of the teams with the league’s best records last season. 

Preview on the opening night

Utah at Portland: The Trail Blazers, who have won an NBA-record 15 consecutive regular-season home openers, feature one of the NBA’s best backcourts in two-time All-Star Damian Lillard and 2015-16 Kia NBA Most Improved Player CJ McCollum.  The two guards led Portland to its third consecutive playoff appearance last season.  The Jazz, looking to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2012, added veterans Boris Diaw, George Hill and Joe Johnson in the offseason to complement a promising young core.  Utah’s Gordon Hayward, who averaged a team-high 19.7 points last season, will miss the game with a finger injury.  

San Antonio at Golden State: Kevin Durant will make his debut with the Warriors, who signed the four-time scoring champion and 2013-14 Kia NBA MVP after a league-record 73-9 season and a loss to Cleveland in The Finals 2016.  Durant joins two-time reigning Kia NBA MVP Stephen Curry and fellow All-Stars Draymond Green and Klay Thompson to give the Golden State a potent offense.  The Spurs will have a new look with six-time All-Star Pau Gasol at center in place of NBA legend Tim Duncan, who retired after 19 seasons with San Antonio. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich has a 17-2 record in regular-season openers.

New York at Cleveland: The Cavaliers will receive their championship rings before facing the new-look Knicks, who added former Kia NBA Most Valuable Player Derrick Rose and former Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year Joakim Noah in the offseason.  Jeff Hornacek will make his head-coaching debut with New York.  Cleveland’s Tyronn Lue will coach his first regular-season opener after taking over as head coach last January and leading the Cavaliers to their first NBA title in franchise history.  Four-time Kia NBA MVP LeBron James of Cleveland opens the season needing 114 points to pass Hakeem Olajuwon for 10th place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list.

NBA broadcast schedule in the Philippines on Oct. 26



·         New York Knicks at Cleveland Cavaliers, Wednesday, Oct. 26 at 7:30 a.m. on NBA Premium TV

·         Utah Jazz at Portland Trail Blazers, Wednesday, Oct. 26 at 10 a.m. on Basketball TV

·         San Antonio Spurs at Golden State Warriors, Wednesday, Oct. 26 at 10:30 a.m. on ABS-CBN S+A and NBA Premium TV


*This is Press Release

NBA Global Games Herald Start of the New Season

Question: How do you know that the NBA regular season is about to begin?

Answer: There’s a lot of buzz worldwide about the NBA pre-season including the Global Games.

The NBA Global Games are a series of NBA games played outside of the United States and Canada where NBA teams play against fellow NBA squads or foreign ball clubs.

The first official overseas game featuring an NBA team was played on Sept. 7, 1978 when the Washington Bullets traveled to Israel to take on Maccabi Tel Aviv in an exhibition game.  More games would be played across Europe and the Soviet Union until 1988.  In 1990, the first regular season NBA Games outside the United States were held in Tokyo featuring the Phoenix Suns and the Utah Jazz.

With the league expanding its international footprint, the NBA Global Games have been staged in various parts of the world including Spain, England, Brazil, Istanbul, Italy, Beijing, Shanghai, Taipei and the Philippines.  The NBA and SM staged the first-ever NBA preseason game in the Philippines between the Houston Rockets and the Indiana Pacers on Oct. 10, 2013.  Since 2004, thirteen NBA teams have played in Greater China specifically in Beijing, Guangzhou, Macao, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Taipei.

The 10th edition of NBA Global Games China, featuring the New Orleans Pelicans and the Houston Rockets, will be staged in Shanghai at the Mercedes-Benz Arena on Oct. 9, followed by a rematch in Beijing on Oct. 12 at The LeSports Center.  This will be the Rockets’ fourth trip to Greater China following visits in 2004, 2010 and 2013.

NBA Global Games China 2016 will feature a variety of off-court activities, including the fifth Fan Appreciation Day presented by Dongfeng Nissan on Oct. 7 in Shanghai, providing thousands of fans with the chance to participate in on-court games and watch the Pelicans and Rockets in open practice.  The league will also conduct NBA Cares and Jr. NBA community events and league partners will host interactive fan activities.

This year’s batch of Jr. NBA and Jr. WNBA All-Stars will watch their favorite Pelicans and Rockets players in Shanghai along with other Jr. NBA All-Stars from Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. The Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA Philippines 2016 All-Stars is composed of Kai Zachary Sotto, Tracy Carl Dadang, Fritz Felix Valencia, Harold Alarcon, Julian Jugo, Miguel Tan, Andrei Lechoncito, Rhic Gatuz, Jearico Nunez, Isaiah Blanco Hontiveros, Rozie Amatong, Florence Jill Talas, Aloha Marie Betanio, Maria Cecilia Quelenderino and Darle Regasajo.

Local celebrity Gerald Anderson and #ShootLikeTheNBA winners Kat Tan and Paolo Miguel Bernardo will also travel to Shanghai to watch the NBA Global Games.
                                                                      

About the NBA

The NBA is a global sports and media business built around three professional sports leagues: the National Basketball Association, the Women’s National Basketball Association, and the NBA Development League.  The league has established a major international presence with games and programming in 215 countries and territories in 49 languages, and NBA merchandise for sale in more than 125,000 stores in 100 countries on 6 continents.  NBA rosters at the start of the 2015-16 season featured 100 international players from 37 countries and territories.  NBA Digital’s assets include NBA TV, NBA.com and the NBA App, which achieved record viewership and traffic during the 2015-16 season.  The NBA has created one of the largest social media communities in the world, with more than one billion likes and followers globally across all league, team, and player platforms.  Through NBA Cares, the league addresses important social issues by working with internationally recognized youth-serving organizations that support education, youth and family development, and health-related causes.

*This is Press Release

#ShootLikeTheNBA and Get a Chance to Watch the NBA Global Games in Shanghai for Free

Are you always shooting crumpled paper in the trash can?  Do you often aim imaginary basketballs in the air pretending to be Kobe Bryant or even picture yourself as the next Steph Curry in your own backyard?

Now get your camera phones ready and unleash the NBA star in you because it’s time to put that basketball craze into good use.  Whether you’re shooting basketballs or some replica thereof, you can join the #ShootLikeTheNBA promo launched on NBA Philippines Facebook.

Think of the most creative way to shoot a basketball, ping pong ball, rubber ball, crumpled paper, or any other object through anything that resembles a hoop.  Use your imagination, do it with flair, throw it up with gusto, blindfold yourself, tie one arm behind your back, and shoot like the NBA! Capture the sequence on video and upload on your Facebook or Instagram account set to public with the hashtag #ShootLikeTheNBA.

Entries will be judged based on creativity with the Top 2 entries winning one (1) ticket each to the NBA Global Games China 2016 in Shanghai featuring the Houston Rockets and New Orleans Pelicans.  The winners will also join local celebrity Gerald Anderson to experience the NBA Global Games in Shanghai on Oct. 9 at the Mercedes-Benz Arena.  Runners-up will receive exclusive NBA merchandise.

   

The 10^th edition of NBA Global Games China will be headlined by Houston Rockets’ four-time NBA All-Star and 2012 Olympic gold medalist James Harden, 2011-2012 Most Improved Player Ryan Anderson, and 2009 NBA Champion Trevor Ariza as well as New Orleans Pelicans’ three-time NBA All-Star and 2012 Olympic gold medalist Anthony Davis, 2016 No. 6 overall draft pick Buddy Hield, and 2013 NBA All-Star Jrue Holiday.

To learn more about the contest, visit the official website at http://shootlikethenba.com/philippines/.  Fans can also get event updates by following the NBA on Facebook at www.facebook.com/philsnba.  For all things NBA, visit www.nba.com.

About the NBA

The NBA is a global sports and media business built around three professional sports leagues: the National Basketball Association, the Women’s National Basketball Association, and the NBA Development League.  The league has established a major international presence with games and programming in 215 countries and territories in 49 languages, and NBA merchandise for sale in more than 125,000 stores in 100 countries on 6 continents.  NBA rosters at the start of the 2015-16 season featured 100 international players from 37 countries and territories.  NBA Digital’s assets include NBA TV, NBA.com and the NBA App, which achieved record viewership and traffic during the 2015-16 season.  The NBA has created one of the largest social media communities in the world, with more than one billion likes and followers globally across all league, team, and player platforms.  Through NBA Cares, the league addresses important social issues by working with internationally recognized youth-serving organizations that support education, youth and family development, and health-related causes.

*This is Press Release

NBA Stores in the Philippines to Donate NBA Name & Number T-Shirt Sale Proceeds to Knowledge Channel Foundation, Inc.

photo credit: philstar

The three NBA Stores in the Philippines, which are managed by International Athletic Trading Company, Inc. (IATC), announced today the launch of a retail promotion to support Knowledge Channel Foundation, Inc. (KCFI) in providing more Filipinos with access to quality education.

To commemorate the 10-year anniversary of NBA Cares, the league’s global social responsibility program, all three NBA Stores in the Philippines will donate a portion of NBA Name & Number T-shirt sale proceeds from Aug. 10 to Sept. 13 to KCFI.  Proceeds from this initiative will fund the foundation’s education program focused on providing multimedia learning resources for students in grades K-12 and training teachers from public schools in the National Capital Region of Luzon.

“As an organization, we are aware of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and how achieving inclusive and quality education is a global priority,” said IATC President and CEO Melvin Lloyd Lim.  “We value this opportunity to work with Knowledge Channel Foundation and look forward to bringing this program to life as our own way of giving back to the Philippine education system.”

“We want to provide the Filipino children with multimedia learning resources that provide an enriching academic journey,” said Knowledge Channel Foundation, Inc. President Rina Lopez Bautista.  “Given the popularity of the NBA in the Philippines, we are excited to see how this initiative will enable more people to contribute to our mission of uplifting the lives of fellow Filipinos from poverty through education.”

KCFI is a not-for-profit organization helping empower Filipinos through educational media for the past 17 years.  Knowledge Channel’s on-air, online and on-demand educational videos and other multimedia learning resources are accessible to more than 5 million learners in both formal and alternative learning systems in an estimated 6,000 schools and learning centers nationwide.  In addition, KCFI is immersed in training teachers and stakeholders who implement the KCFI educational program in the Philippines.

NBA Name & Number T-shirts are part of the comprehensive selection of authentic NBA merchandise available at all three NBA Stores in the Philippines, which also offer official jerseys, footwear, performance gear, lifestyle apparel, basketballs, toys and collectibles.  The NBA Stores at Glorietta 3, Mega Fashion Hall and TriNoma carry products from all 30 NBA teams, and feature brands such as 2K Sports, adidas, Mitchell & Ness, New Era, Panini, Spalding, Stance, and many more.

For more information on Knowledge Channel Foundation, visit www.kchonline.ph and follow the official Facebook page (www.facebook.com/knowledgechannel).  For all the latest news and updates on the NBA Stores in the Philippines and the NBA, visit www.nba.com and follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/philsnba), Twitter (www.twitter.com/nba_philippines) and Instagram (@nbastoreph).




About the NBA
The NBA is a global sports and media business built around three professional sports leagues: the National Basketball Association, the Women’s National Basketball Association, and the NBA Development League.  The league has established a major international presence with games and programming in 215 countries and territories in 49 languages, and NBA merchandise for sale in more than 125,000 stores in 100 countries on 6 continents.  NBA rosters at the start of the 2015-16 season featured 100 international players from 37 countries and territories.  NBA Digital’s assets include NBA.com and the NBA app, which achieved record traffic during the 2014-15 season, as well as NBA TV.  The NBA has created one of the largest social media communities in the world, with more than one billion likes and followers globally across all league, team, and player platforms.  Through NBA Cares, the league addresses important social issues by working with internationally recognized youth-serving organizations that support education, youth and family development, and health-related causes.

About International Athletic Trading Company Inc.
International Athletic Trading Company, Inc., (IATC, Inc.) is a joint venture partnership between Ever Fit Holding Company, Inc. and IP Ventures, Inc.  Ever Fit Holding Company, Inc. is engaged in retail and wholesale of apparel.  Its stakeholders have more than 25 years of experience in retail operations in major malls located in the Philippines.  It has 65 retail stores with an average selling floor area of 100 square meters.  Over the past five years, it has managed to grow its business at an annual compound growth rate of 6%.  The basic strength of its management lies in being able to immediately identify changing market trends and adopt strategies proactively.  IP Ventures Inc. is a leading investor and operator of Technology, Media and Telecom (“TMT”) businesses in the Philippines and Southeast Asia with over US$100 million in investments and deals.  IPVI has listed 3 companies on the Philippine Stock Exchange and has had joint-ventures and co-investments with PCCW, Tencent, GMA7, Philippine Star group and Kennet Partners.  IPVI has started and built into market leading positions businesses in online games (e-Games and Level Up), Internet Data Center (IP-Converge), business process outsourcing (PCCW Teleservices), cybersecurity (Prolexic) and payments.  In the retail sector, IPVI’s brands include Netopia, NBA Store, Highlands Coffee, Kitaro and Ipay.

About Knowledge Channel Foundation, Inc.
KCFI is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to uplifting the lives of Filipinos from poverty through education.  For the past 17 years, KCFI has been helping empower the Filipino through educational media.  Through the Knowledge Channel (K Channel) on-air, on-line and on-demand, our educational videos and other multimedia learning resources (MMLR) are accessible to more than 5 million learners in both the formal and alternative learning systems in about 6,000 schools and learning centers nationwide.  Third party studies separately conducted by UP, DLSU and AdMU over the past years attribute significant positive impact in students’ achievement scores, learning outcomes and attitudes towards learning to the K Channel learning intervention.  KCFI also trains teachers and education leaders to help them effectively carry out their tasks of ensuring excellent and meaningful learning outcomes.


*This is Press Release

NBA Fashion Style by Bloggers in NBA Store Glorietta 3

Fashion bloggers showcased their sense of style using NBA merchandise at the first ever NBA Styling Challenge, Wednesday, at the NBA Store Glorietta 3, Makati.

It’s common for many hoops fans to wear basketball jerseys and shorts as their default fashion style. But the NBA challenged groups of bloggers to push the limits in integrating NBA gear into everyday wear by conceptualizing fresh, exciting looks out of the extensive assortment of products available at the NBA Store.

Riding on the energy of the NBA Playoffs, blogger groups created fashion looks highlighting the four NBA Teams currently vying for spots in the NBA Finals. The blogger-stylists’ entries were judged according to Creativity, Resourcefulness, Relevance to the Theme and Overall Impact.

Pat Giron, NBA Philippines Merchandising Manager; Barry Viloria, Lifestyle Editor of CHALK Magazine and Kat Angco, editor of lifestyle.abs-cbn.com made up the panel of judges. 


*This is Press Release

NBA Opens Manila Office for Expanding Efforts in the Philippines

The National Basketball Association (NBA) announced on April 19th 2016 that the league has opened an office in Manila, Philippines, as part of its commitment to grow basketball and the NBA’s business initiatives in the country.

NBA Philippines Managing Director Carlo Singson will lead a dedicated local staff  to assist NBA headquarters in continuing the growth of all of the NBA’s business lines in the country, including television, digital, merchandising, events and grassroots programs, and social responsibility.  Singson’s nearly two-decade career with the league has included stints in the league’s headquarters in New York City and in the Hong Kong regional office.

“The NBA has experienced tremendous growth in the Philippines over the past decade, and we’ve helped more boys and girls play and enjoy the game,” said Singson.  “By establishing an office in market with dedicated staff on the ground, we will be better positioned to work with our valued partners to deliver the best NBA experiences to some of the world’s most passionate basketball fans.”

“Opening an office in the Philippines is the next step in our efforts to grow basketball and the NBA’s popularity throughout Asia,” said NBA Asia Managing Director Scott Levy.  “The fandom that exists in the Philippines presents an ideal opportunity to grow the game that we hope to replicate throughout the region.”

The NBA has established its existing business initiatives in the Philippines more than two decades ago. Most recently it staged NBA Global Games in Manila in 2013 featuring the Houston Rockets and the Indiana Pacers, and joined with local operators to open the first three NBA Stores in Southeast Asia, and the first NBA Cafe outside of the U.S.

The NBA currently has relationships with a strong network of television and digital media partners in the Philippines, including a partnership of more than 15 years with Solar.  Solar, together with ABS-CBN and FOX Sports, combine to televise more than 30 live NBA games per week.  The league hosts touring basketball events and grassroots basketball development programs for fans, such as the Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA and the Gatorade NBA Training Center, and maintains a strong roster of marketing partners, including adidas, Alaska, CloudFone, Gatorade, Globe Telecom and Spalding.  The league also has a strong social media following in the Philippines, with 5.1 million followers on the NBA Global Facebook page ­– the most of any country outside the United States.

Through NBA Cares, the league’s global social responsibility initiative, the NBA has teamed up with community partners and nonprofit organizations including World Vision and Special Olympics to implement more than 40 community outreach programs nationwide since 2009.  As part of the efforts to inspire play and teach the values of the game to youth, NBA and WNBA players and legends conducted basketball clinics, visited orphanages and participated in court refurbishment projects.

With the opening of the Manila office, the NBA now has offices in 13 markets worldwide, including Beijing, Hong Kong, Johannesburg, London, Madrid, Mexico City, Mumbai, New York/New Jersey, Rio de Janeiro, Shanghai, Taipei, and Toronto.

Visit www.nba.com and follow the NBA on Facebook (www.facebook.com/philsnba) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/NBA_Philippines) for all the latest NBA news and updates.



About the NBA

The NBA is a global sports and media business built around three professional sports leagues: the National Basketball Association, the Women’s National Basketball Association, and the NBA Development League.  The league has established a major international presence with games and programming in 215 countries and territories in 49 languages, and NBA merchandise for sale in more than 125,000 stores in 100 countries on 6 continents.  NBA rosters at the start of the 2015-16 season featured 100 international players from 37 countries and territories.  NBA Digital’s assets include NBA.com and the NBA app, which achieved record traffic during the 2014-15 season, as well as NBA TV.  The NBA has created one of the largest social media communities in the world, with more than one billion likes and followers globally across all league, team, and player platforms.  Through NBA Cares, the league addresses important social issues by working with internationally recognized youth-serving organizations that support education, youth and family development, and health-related causes.

*This is Press Release

NBA Store Now Have Christmas Day Jerseys

The National Basketball Association (NBA) officially announced today that select NBA Christmas Day jerseys are now available in the NBA Store in both Glorietta and Mega Fashion Hall.

Designed as part of the adidas NBA Season’s Greetings Collection, the uniforms incorporate primary team colors and cream tones with player names and numbers showcased in holiday-style script and detailed with woven rows of stitching.  Displayed on the back of the jersey is a scarlet NBA seal taking inspiration from holiday greeting cards.

Filipinos will get the chance to purchase the limited edition Christmas jerseys of Kobe Bryant, Stephen Curry, LeBron James, Damian Lillard, Derrick Rose, and John Wall.  Fans can also gear up for the holidays by checking out the NBA Store’s comprehensive range of authentic products from all 30 teams that includes footwear, performance gear, lifestyle apparel, basketballs, toys and collectibles.

Regular store hours of the Glorietta branch operates from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. (Sunday to Thursday) and 10:00am to 10:00pm (Friday and Saturday) while the Mega Fashion Hall operates from 10:00 am to 10:00 pm daily.

For all the latest news and updates on the NBA Store and the NBA, visit www.nba.com and follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/philsnba) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/nba_philippines).

About NBA

The NBA is a global sports and media business built around three professional sports leagues: the National Basketball Association, the Women’s National Basketball Association, and the NBA Development League.  The league has established a major international presence with offices in 13 markets worldwide, games and programming in 215 countries and territories in 47 languages, and NBA merchandise for sale in more than 125,000 stores in 100 countries on 6 continents.  NBA rosters at the start of the 2014-15 season featured a record 101 international players from 37 countries and territories.  NBA Digital’s assets include NBA.com and NBA Mobile, which achieved record traffic during the 2014-15 season, as well as NBA TV.  The NBA is the No. 1 professional sports league on social media, with more than 875 million likes and followers globally across all league, team, and player platforms.  Through NBA Cares, the league addresses important social issues by working with internationally recognized youth-serving organizations that support education, youth and family development, and health-related causes.

About International Athletic Trading Company Inc.

International Athletic Trading Company, Inc., (IATC, Inc.) is a joint venture partnership between Ever Fit Holding Company, Inc. and IP Ventures, Inc. Ever Fit Holding Company, Inc. is engaged in retail and wholesale of apparel. Its stakeholders have more than 25 years of experience in retail operations in major malls located in the Philippines. It has 65 retail stores with an average selling floor area of 100 square meters. Over the past five years, it has managed to grow its business at an annual compound growth rate of 6%. The basic strength of its management lies in being able to immediately identify changing market trends and adopt strategies proactively. IP Ventures Inc. is a well-known venture & private equity group in the Philippines with investments in retail, gaming, technology, media and telecommunication. Considered as one of the pioneers of the Internet industry, IP Ventures listed the first online gaming company and first internet data center company in the country. IP Ventures also owns Netopia with over 60 outlets located in high traffic malls representing over 6,000 square meter of retail space. IP Ventures maintains a joint-venture with Philstar.com to run and operate NBA.com Philippines and has exclusive distribution rights for NBA 2K games. IP Ventures is also launching NBA 2K Online in the Philippines in 2015.

Second NBA Store in the Philippines

Managed by International Athletic Trading Company, Inc. (IATC), the new NBA Store is offering basketball enthusiasts authentic NBA merchandise and memorabilia.  The store features extensive selection of NBA products from all 30 teams, including: official jerseys, footwear, performance gear, lifestyle apparel, basketballs, toys and collectibles.  Fans can also find autographed NBA memorabilia as well as a personalized jersey service.


“The initial flagship NBA Store in Glorietta has established itself as the premier destination for NBA fanatics in the country and we could not be more excited to fuel their passion with the unveiling of our second store,” said Melvin Lloyd Lim, President and CEO, IATC.  “By opening our doors in the heart of Metro Manila, we look forward to providing more fans access to a comprehensive assortment of NBA merchandise, bringing the authentic NBA shopping experience to Filipinos.”


“We are thrilled to expand our footprint with the opening of the second NBA Store in the Philippines,” said Carlo Singson, Associate Vice President and Country Manager for the Philippines, NBA Asia.  “IATC is the ideal partner in our efforts to outfit more Filipinos in their favorite NBA apparel and to offer the widest range of NBA merchandise in the Philippines.”


The NBA Store is carrying products from brands such as adidas, NIKE, Under Armour, New Era, Panini, Spalding, Stance, 2K Sports, and many more, including select NBA apparel exclusive to the store.


Regular store hours of the NBA Store in Mega Fashion Hall are 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. daily.


Earlier this month, the flagship NBA Store in the Philippines received the 2015 Asia Sports Industry Gold Award for the “Best Sports Retail Campaign” in recognition of the store’s industry leading standards.