During his first visit to Saudi Arabia, Los Angeles Lakers star, LeBron James, conducted a basketball workshop that left young Saudi players, including the future stars of the women’s national team, in awe.
The President of the Saudi Basketball Federation, Dr. Ghassan Tashkandi, conveyed his sincere appreciation for LeBron’s visit to Riyadh. He emphasized the players’ happiness and LeBron’s dedication to working with Saudi athletes in the training room. Tashkandi emphasized that Saudi basketball would benefit greatly from this.
“LeBron inspired many young Saudis and made their dreams come true,” Tashkandi said, calling LeBron a global icon who transcended sports as well as a superstar, legend, and hero all rolled into one. With LeBron James serving as the archetypal example, Tashkandi underscored the transformative power of sports stars in inspiring and uniting upcoming athletes in Saudi Arabia.
At Al-Azem Academy in Riyadh, the Saudi Arabia Basketball Federation hosted a unique workshop that was led by LeBron James. During this training session, aspiring players got the rare chance to practice shooting and dribbling with one of the world’s greatest basketball legends.
LeBron has a stellar NBA record. After two decades of play, he has won four NBA championships, four regular season MVP awards, four Finals MVP awards, two Olympic gold medals, and an incredible 19 All-Star selections.
LeBron’s visit complemented Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, which supports the country’s objective of encouraging healthier lifestyles and developing into a hub for international sporting events. This includes putting on esteemed events like the FIBA 3X3 World Tour, which has taken place in Jeddah and Diriyah and highlights Saudi Arabia’s rising stature in the world of sports.
After meeting and playing basketball with their hero, the Saudi players were left stunned. They expressed their sincere gratitude while highlighting how LeBron has inspired them throughout their lives. Many of them even discussed how strange it was to watch him play in person. In an interview with Arab News, Aseel Falatah of Al-Azem Academy emphasized the revolutionary prospects available to women in Saudi Arabia and expressed gratitude to LeBron for his insightful teachings.
The sports landscape in Saudi Arabia is changing dramatically. Federations are growing rapidly, adult sports participation is rising, and basketball engagement is skyrocketing. The increasing potential of basketball in Saudi Arabia is demonstrated by the rise of female players, the number of teams registered, and participation in both regional and international competitions.
