Two celebrated US basketball players spent October 24 on campus training 300 young athletes on technique and team building.

Retired NBA All-Star Roland Blackman, who is now director of Basketball Development for Dallas Mavericks, joined forces with Ebony Hoffman, a professional basketball player and a member of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) as part of the US State Department-sponsored U.S. Sports Envoy Program, which is meant to establish dialogue with international youth through sports. The two basketball players spent five days in Lebanon, training youngsters from various parts of the country.

Organized by University Sports—also known as AUB’s athletics department—in conjunction with the envoy program, the "Sports United" Basketball day was held at Charles Hostler Center on October 24 from 10:00am till 6:00pm.

                                                                                                                                                               -  Captain of AUB Women's Basketball Team Presenting Trophy  to Ebony Hoffman

  Attending the event were US Ambassador Michele J. Sison, AUB Provost Ahmad Dallal, Vice President for Human Resources Jim Radulski, Vice President for Finance Steve Kenney, Dean of Student Affairs Maroun Kisirwani, and Ghaleb Halimi, Director of Athletics and other AUB staff.

The event included a 3-on-3 Sports United Hoop-fest Lebanon tournament which involved three players from one team playing against three players from another team according to specific regulations.

Blackman and Hoffman conducted basketball drills and supervised slam-dunk competitions for the Lebanese Men’s National Team as well as a 3-point competition for women who would shoot hoops from outside the basketball court arc.

Medals were distributed at 6pm.

“What a week it has been here in Lebanon! I love the great camaraderie I have felt between the young athletes, the coaches and us,” wrote Blackman in his blog about the visit to Lebanon. “We have visited so many different places in Lebanon, but they have all shared the same great spirit of enthusiasm and determination… The youth of Lebanon have such great hearts and great spirit. I am honored to have been a part of their lives this week.”

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                                                                                                                                                                     - Captain of AUB Men's Basketball Team Presenting Trophy to Ronald Blackman 

- NBA Stars Taking Photos with Ambassador Sisson and Provost Dallal