NBA star Kobe Bryant to coach youngsters on healthy living

LA Lakers superstar to visit the UAE as part of health and fitness campaign.

DUBAI // Basketball fans will be able to line up to dribble and shoot alongside NBA star Kobe Bryant when he visits in September.

The Los Angeles Lakers superstar will be in Abu Dhabi and Dubai on September 26 and 27 for a diabetes campaign.

As part of the Kobe Bryant Health and Fitness Weekend, he will coach youngsters in a basketball skills clinic on September 26 in the capital.

Details about how to win a chance to gain tips from Bryant will be announced in mid-August, said Sarah Omolewu, one of the event's organisers.

"The lucky kids that win a chance to participate in the clinic will have the electrifying experience of getting to meet Kobe Bryant in addition to learning basketball techniques. The objective is not only to offer fans a once-in-a-lifetime experience but to raise awareness of the importance of health and fitness," she said.

Fans in Dubai can watch Bryant when he leads a warm-up session and also coaches a celebrity game at the American University in Dubai on September 27. The game will include international and UAE personalities from the entertainment and business world.

"Bryant will be wearing a wireless microphone throughout the duration of the game so the crowd can hear his every word," Ms Omolewu said.

"Fans will be able to get a glimpse inside the mind of a basketball legend during the game."

Tickets will go on sale in mid-August.

The region's power dunkers can then show off their moves at a slam dunk competition to be judged by Bryant after the celebrity face-off.

The programme is being organised with the support of Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, the minister of culture, youth and social development.

Media reports said the two-time Olympic gold medallist is recovering from surgery to repair a torn Achilles tendon.

Basketball fans said just hearing the star speak would enthuse youngsters. "It would mean everything to our kids to see an NBA legend," said Ahmad Elzahdan, the chief operation officer of Mpac basketball, which coaches 1,800 children each week in the UAE and is the region's largest.

"People from anywhere in the Gulf would fly out to see. It would definitely mean a lot to both kids and adults to listen and talk to him."

Sushil Kumar, basketball coach of Winchester School in Jebel Ali, said it would be inspirational.

"Before it was Michael Jordan and now Kobe is one of the world's best," he said. "It will be a huge motivation for youngsters to learn from him."

Bryant, 34, is fourth on the all-time NBA scoring charts behind greats Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone and Michael Jordan. He passed fellow Lakers star Wilt Chamberlain's record in March.

Hundreds of thousands followed him when he began tweeting earlier this year.

About 270,000 followed him after his first tweet - "The antisocial has become social" - on January 4 this year and within hours he had racked up more than 365,000 followers.