Brooklyn Nets and New York Liberty partner with New York City public schools to expand youth basketball clinics

Through first-of-its kind partnership, Nets and Liberty will bring basketball clinics to NYC public schools free-of-charge during gym periods

BROOKLYN - The Brooklyn Nets and New York Liberty are expanding their community-based youth basketball clinics through a new partnership with New York City Public Schools. Through this first-of-its-kind partnership, the Nets and Liberty will provide basketball clinics free-of-charge to NYC public elementary and middle schools in Brooklyn during gym periods where students will learn basketball fundamentals, along with critical off-the-court life and leadership skills. The teams were previously operating after-school clinics at schools in Brooklyn on an individual basis.

The expansion of the Nets and Liberty youth basketball clinic program brings the excitement of the NBA and WNBA to New York City Public School students while simultaneously providing them with physical and mental conditioning, and social health benefits associated with regular group physical activity. Every week, the Nets and Liberty will host 20 clinics at various schools that will be operated by youth basketball coaches from the teams. New York City Public Schools will identify participating schools on a rolling basis throughout 2023 and over the course of the year, all elementary and middle schools in Brooklyn will have a chance to participate in the program, reaching approximately 50,000 youth by the end of 2023.

“We have a unique opportunity to make a positive impact on young individuals as our clinic programs not only teach basketball fundamentals but are also designed to provide critical life and leadership skills off the court and in the classroom,” said Sam Zussman, CEO of BSE Global, parent company of the Brooklyn Nets and New York Liberty. “The Nets and Liberty are excited to deepen our relationship with New York City Public Schools and play a more meaningful role in the community and the lives of its residents.”

“Innovative partnerships that support students on a journey to becoming well-rounded citizens are a vital part of any effective school system,” said New York City Public Schools Chancellor David Chancellor David C. Banks. “It is an honor to work alongside BSE Global to help foster leadership skills and a lifetime of healthy habits, and inspire students to put the values that they develop to great use off the court.”

The partnership tipped off Wednesday, March 22, with the first clinic at P.S. 001 in Sunset Park featuring remarks from Chancellor Banks and Zussman. Additionally, Nets Head Coach Jacque Vaughn, Liberty Assistant Coaches Roneeka Hodges and Zach O’Brien, Nets forward Cam Johnson and Liberty center Jonquel Jones were in attendance to show support and celebrate the launch of the program where they also engaged with student participants during the first clinic. Click HERE for photos and video from the event, including interviews with aforementioned participants along with footage of the press conference in full.

BSE Global and New York City Public Schools first partnered together in 2021 to launch The Basquiat Project, an educational arts program funded by The Joe and Clara Tsai Foundation’s Social Justice Fund. Following the success of the program, both groups began discussing other opportunities to work together and decided to expand the Nets’ and Liberty’s long-standing community-based youth basketball clinic programs.