Eager to expedite the growth of basketball in a largely untapped market of nearly 1. Cheap Amir Johnson Jersey .3 billion people, the NBA announced plans on Tuesday to open a training facility for top prospects in India.The announcement marks a major step forward in the effort to recruit athletes from India and develop talent to compete at the highest international levels, and it comes a month after the launch of similar facilities in Hangzhou, Jinan and Urumqi, China. NBA Academy India will focus on instruction for athletes ages 14 to 18 and will be located in the National Capital Region. It is scheduled to begin operation in April 2017 and will provide academic education through a school partnership.Our mission with this academy is to develop and grow basketball in India, NBA vice president of international basketball operations Brooks Meek said. Its focused on improving the level of the players on the national team and to really give a vision to Indian kids that theres a chance and a pathway for them in basketball.NBA representatives will hold a series of scouting camps across the country to select the first 24 male scholarship athletes that will attend and reside at NBA Academy India. Those prospects will be selected by February 2017. The league is also in the process of selecting coaches, scouts and consultants who will staff and instruct at the academy. The academy plans to begin assembling a roster of top female athletes to train there soon after the facility begins operation.The strategy is a holistic approach, Meek said. This is off-court and on-court education, all of the things we feel that we want to have a direct impact on influencing the 360-degree development of an elite basketball player.NBA Academy India prospects will play against top domestic adult teams and also compete internationally. Ultimately, the most promising players at NBA Academy India will be considered for promotion to the NBA Global Academy, which the league recently established in partnership with Basketball Australia in Canberra as an international hub for the training of elite prospects.What we want to do is schedule the toughest and best competition for these kids to play against, knowing that its not about wins and losses, Meek said. Its about player development and achieving your best by playing against the best. Thats a key strategic point for all of these academies.Meek was part of the initial NBA delegation to India in 2005, sent to gather information, scout facilities and lay the groundwork for the growth of basketball in the worlds second-most populous nation. Six years later, the NBA officially planted a flag by establishing an office in Mumbai. Since turning its attention to India, the NBA has held 1,500-plus grassroots events across the country, reaching more than 3.5 million youths and thousands of physical education teachers and coaches, thereby creating the framework of a network where gifted athletes can be discovered.Recently, the NBA Jump talent search tapped 22-year-old Palpreet Singh Brar as the top player among a field of 32 prospects from across India. He then tried out for the NBA Developmental League and was drafted last month by the Long Island Nets, although he did not make the teams season-opening roster. Meek said the NBA would hold a similar set of scouting events, focused on younger athletes, to select the first group of NBA Academy India students.Although still in the formative stage, basketball is undeniably on the rise in India. Many NBA players have made promotional visits to India over the years, including Chris Bosh, Dwight Howard, Pau Gasol and Kevin Garnett. Earlier this year, Dallas Mavericks guard Seth Curry and Chicago Bulls center Robin Lopez conducted youth clinics in Noida and Mumbai.Some other key developments in recent years:May 2013: Mumbai native Vivek Ranadive purchases a majority stake in the NBAs Sacramento Kings.July 2014: The India mens national team defeats China for the first time, stunning the top-ranked hosts of the FIBA Asia Cup in Wuhan.April 2015: Canadian center Sim Bhullar becomes the first player of Indian descent to appear in an NBA game.June 2015: Punjab native Satnam Singh becomes the first player from India ever selected in the NBA draft when the Dallas Mavericks identify him in the second round -- No. 52 overall. (He currently plays for the Texas Legends of the NBA Developmental League and has yet to appear in an official NBA game.)September 2016: India again upset top-ranked China, this time at the FIBA Asia Challenge in Tehran. India ultimately lost in the quarterfinals to eventual champions Iran.The next landmark will occur in April when NBA Academy India creates a virtual pipeline connecting boys and girls from every corner of the nation to the highest levels of competition around the world. Cheap Boston Celtics Jerseys . -- San Francisco 49ers linebacker Ahmad Brooks was fined $15,570 by the NFL on Wednesday for his hit on Saints quarterback Drew Brees last Sunday. Authentic Isaiah Thomas Celtics Jersey . But what about the officials? Every sport has officials and they also have stories about hard work and sacrifice but their accomplishments are seldom recognized by anyone outside their inner circle. http://www.authenticcelticsproshop.com/Reggie-Lewis-Jersey/ . It just didnt show when he hit the ice. Berra made 42 saves and Kris Russell scored at 1:32 of overtime, lifting the Calgary Flames to a 3-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday night. Puerto Rican lightweight Orlando Cruz said he is not only fighting for himself but also for the gay community.Cruz, who came out in 2012 as boxings first openly gay fighter, will challenge lightweight world titleholder Terry Flanagan on Saturday (beIN Sports Espanol, 11 p.m. ET, same-day tape) at the Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff, Wales.Terry Flanagan is a true world champion and will defend his title with everything he has. However, I am prepared and ready for victory and to be crowned the new world champion. I want to inspire the gay community by becoming a world champion on Saturday, Cruz said this week. Terry is a great champion and a real peoples person. More importantly, he respects my life and my choices.He sees the man boxing him and that is it. Everyone has been very supportive since I came out three years ago. I have the support of my family, friends and fans.Cruz, 35, who was a 2000 Olympian for Puerto Rico, lost his first shot at a world title, getting knocked out by then-featherweight titlist Orlando Salido in the seventh round in October 2013 in Las Vegas. Six months later, Cruz lost a 10-round decision to Gamalier Rodriguez.Since then, Cruz (25-4-1, 13 KOs), a southpaw, has won five fights in a row at junior lightweight. He will be moving up from the 130-pound division to the 135-pound lightweight division to face Flanagan. Authentic Danny Ainge Celtics Jersey. .When I look at my story, it makes me hopeful that more people will be inspired to come out, Cruz said. Right now my focus is fully on the big fight on Saturday and winning the WBO lightweight belt. Ive been feeling the love from the British people since I arrived here on Monday. Everyone has been very welcoming to me and I have nothing but respect for them. I am very happy to be here in Cardiff and fighting for another world title.Flanagan (31-0, 12 KOs), a 27-year-old southpaw from England who will be making his fourth title defense, hopes to take care of Cruz and then move on to a bigger fight -- perhaps a unification against the winner of an expected rematch between champion Jorge Linares and Anthony Crolla, Flanagans Manchester, England rival.He said he respects Cruzs lifestyle, but that it makes no difference to him.Look, it was very brave of Orlando to come out, but Im not interested in either his sexuality or his personal life, Flanagan said. Im only interested in him as a boxer; an opponent. Hes a good fighter, but Im going to deal with him. Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys ' ' '