The NBA Global Academy is set for three new additions this July after offering up and coming talents, Carlin Briggs, Roman Siulepa and James O’Donnell scholarships, providing them each the opportunity to take the next step in their young basketball journeys. Each of the three were impressive in the eyes of selectors after strong performances at the U18 Australian Junior Championships in April of this year, where Siulepa played a key role in the gold medal Queensland South team, Briggs achieved the silver with Vic Metro and O’Donnell featured with NSW Metro. In addition to receiving NBA GA scholarships, the trio were also recently selected for the Australian Under 17 Men’s team to contest the FIBA Asia Cup in Qatar next month and pending qualification, the FIBA Under 17 World Cup in Spain in July. An athletic combination guard from the powerful Knox Basketball Association in Melbourne, Briggs has been involved in the Basketball Victoria elite development pathway throughout his juniors and will wear the green and gold for the first time in the FIBA Asia Cup. Developing his craft at Southern Districts Basketball in Brisbane, Siulepa will bring a hard-nosed approach to rebounding and the ability to get to the rim to the Academy program, a skillset that has become a feature of his game so far. From the Northern Suburbs Basketball Association in Sydney, O’Donnell is a hard-working power forward who has progressed through the Basketball NSW development programs and the Shore School basketball program. Working side by side with the Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence program, the NBA Global Academy has a holistic elite development focus, with the athletes engaged in a daily training environment that includes skill, concept and tactical basketball development, along with strength and conditioning, nutrition and educational support. Based at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra, the NBA GA identifies young athletes from around the world to work under the guidance of respected program Technical Director Marty Clarke. In welcoming the three athletes to the program, Clarke said the players would add to the recent history of talented young Australians being part of the elite Academy environment. “The NBA GA staff are excited to have Carlin, Roman and James accept their offer of scholarships and are looking forward to working with them. The three young athletes have good size and great athleticism for their respective positions, Carlin as a combo guard, Roman as a versatile forward and James will be working toward becoming a stretch 4. “Their ability to play hard, willingness to accept coaching, desire to compete will be a necessary attribute as they will be challenged in their new daily training environment.” Speaking to BA Media, each of the scholarship recipients were grateful to accept the offer and excited to relocate to the AIS. "It is a thrill and an honour to be accepted into the NBA Global Academy - a program that will further develop my skills, and without doubt, help me reach my goal of playing at the highest level. I am looking forward to working with some of the best this sport has to offer and making the most of this amazing opportunity,” Briggs said. “My first feeling is excitement, to be recognised by the NBA Global Academy in this way is a huge honour and something I will never forget. I believe the NBA GA will help me to achieve my goals of playing professionally down the track,” O’Donnell said. “The idea of playing against the best players and being coached by the best coaches from around the world makes this an amazing opportunity. I think the competition every day at practice and in games will help me to grow and develop as an athlete and reach my full potential, I can’t wait to move down to Canberra to get started!”.” Siulepa said, “I feel very privileged to be selected in an exclusive program as good as this and I’m keen to get to Canberra and get amongst it with the lads. I will bring plenty of energy and thank all my Queensland teammates for helping me achieve this goal.”
