Dontae Russo-Nance, a 18-year-old basketballer from New Zealand, has been selected as one of 40 top international prospects from around the world to compete in the Basketball Without Borders Global (BWB) Camp in Salt Lake City, Utah – which takes place during the famed NBA All-Star 2023 weekend.
Russo-Nance, who attended St Kentigern College in Auckland last year before announcing his enrolment at the prestigious Oak Hill Academy in the US to continue the remainder of his high school career, is one of only two players from the Southern Hemisphere to be selected for this camp – joining Australia’s Klairus Amir.
Russo-Nance played in the Sal’s NBL for the Auckland Tuatara last season, winning Youth Player of the Year after averaging 15.6 PTS, 4.9 REB, 4.6 AST & 2.8 STL in 16 games. He was also selected as one of eight Kiwi athletes to attend the BWB Asia Camp which was held in Canberra last August.
This is the seventh edition of the BWB Global Camp, which sees top high-school-age campers from Africa, the Americas, Asia and Europe participate in a variety of activities, including anthropometric and athletic testing, movement efficiency, skill development stations, shooting and skills competitions, life skills seminars and 5-on-5 games, under the guidance of both NBA Basketball Operations staff and NBA players attending NBA All-Star 2023.
The final day features a single-elimination tournament culminating with the championship game, followed by a ceremony to award the Kim Bohuny Camp MVP, the Patrick Baumann Sportsmanship Award, the Defensive MVP, and the Three-Point Champion. The campers will also attend the 72nd NBA All-Star Game later that day.
Many BWB Global campers have gone onto have a successful NBA career, including current All-Stars Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder) and Lauri Markkanen (Utah Jazz), as well as Deandre Ayton (Phoenix Suns), RJ Barrett (New York Knicks), Josh Giddey (Oklahoma City Thunder), and Jamal Murray (Denver Nuggets).
