Sands China, NBA launch community programme for young people

Macau casino operator Sands China Ltd has launched a five-day community outreach programme in partnership with NBA Cares, bringing together young basketball players from Macau, Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland for sports training and exchange activities. The “NBA Cares x Sands Cares Community Impact Week 2026” runs from October 7 to 11, coinciding with the NBA China Games 2026 in Macau. The initiative began on October 7 with a Youth Day event at the Macao East Asian Games Dome, involving 200 young basketball players aged 11 to 14. The participants included 150 students from eight schools in Macau and 50 young players from Hong Kong and mainland cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. According to Sands China, this year’s programme expanded its reach to the Greater Bay Area, with the aim of “promoting social inclusion, inspiring positive youth development, and demonstrating care for the local community through meaningful action”. The opening event featured training sessions led by former NBA player Ray Allen (picture below), a two-time NBA champion and 10-time All-Star, alongside NBA coaches, Chinese basketball player Ding Yanyuhang and China women’s national basketball team player Zhang Ziyu. The young participants underwent fitness assessments and received coaching in basketball fundamentals, including footwork, ball-handling, and offensive and defensive techniques. They also took part in friendly matches featuring mixed teams of players from Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau, as well as individual skills challenges. The event attracted approximately 300 participants, including Sands China executives and Sands Cares Ambassadors, the company’s employee volunteers. Wilfred Wong Ying Wai, executive vice chairman of Sands China, said the initiative sought to extend the benefits of hosting the NBA China Games beyond the sporting competition itself. “This year, we expanded participation in Youth Day to the Greater Bay Area, giving more young people the opportunity to receive firsthand guidance and inspiration from world-class players, while strengthening connections among youth across the region,” Mr Wong stated. The programme also included a “Her Time To Play” seminar, featuring female executives from the NBA, the Dallas Mavericks, the Houston Rockets and Sands China. The programme continued with a “Tip-Off Day” event at The Venetian Arena, attended by approximately 400 people, including players and coaches from the Dallas Mavericks and Houston Rockets, NBA officials, and local students. Former NBA stars Yao Ming, an eight-time All-Star and Basketball Hall of Fame inductee, and Shawn Marion, a four-time All-Star and 2011 NBA champion, also attended the event. Players and coaches from both NBA teams conducted a basketball clinic for students from two championship teams in the Macao Inter-School Basketball Competition: Keang Peng School and Colégio Dom Bosco (Yuet Wah). NBA players also joined students, Sands China executives and employee volunteers in assembling care packages for distribution to members of the local community.