The Asian Age

Noida girl selected for NBA training camp

- NBA Academies Women’s Program AGE CORRESPOND­ENT

Shaily Upadhyay, a student of Shiv Nadar School Noida (a not-for-profit initiative of the Shiv Nadar Foundation in K12 education) was identified by NBA for its five-day India Women’s Training Camp, held in Mumbai. Shaily, is also a part of the UP State Women’s Basketball team and plays in in the under 18 category.

The NBA Academies Women’s Program are elite developmen­t camps at the league’s academies for top female prospects. The players are selected by NBA India based on their outstandin­g basketball skills. Shaily is among the top 18 players from across the country selected for

The players got an opportunit­y to be coached by WNBA legend Jennifer Azzi

this training camp. The players got an opportunit­y to be coached by WNBA legend, Olympic gold medallist and 13-year profession­al player, Jennifer Azzi, and the former college coach Blair Hardiek in basketball skill developmen­t, strength and conditioni­ng, life skills sessions, games and competitio­ns. As part of the workshop, Shaily also got an opportunit­y to interact with top internatio­nal NBA players and witness them in action during the NBA India Games India 2019 in Mumbai.

Originally from the village of Gheja in Noida, Shaily comes from a humble background — her father is a driver and mother a homemaker. Shaily secured admission at Shiv Nadar School under sports scholarshi­p programme that promotes prospectiv­e athletes. Recently, the School sponsored her participat­ion at the YUBAC basketball camp in Serbia to enhance her game skills. On being part of the Programme, Shaily said, “It was a huge learning experience playing with the most promising and emerging women players of the country. It was a dream come true to be coached by celebrated NBA players.”

 ??  ?? Shaily Upadhya
Shaily Upadhya

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