By: Nina Samone
From being selected in the 2020 NBA draft to winning an NBA championship title soon after, for Jordan Nwora, it all started right here in Buffalo, New York.
Now, two years after entering the NBA draft, he has returned to his hometown of Buffalo, New York to host the Jordan Nwora Foundation Elite Basketball Camp at the Burt Flickinger Athletic Center.
The first day of the Elite Basketball Camp was July 5th, and it goes through July 9th with male and female participants aged 7-18.
The camp was designed to help Buffalo youth learn basketball fundamentals and advanced skills with NBA and Collegiate level teaching.
Mayor Byron Brown kicked off the opening day ceremonies and teamed up with West Herr Automotive Group and Delaware North to provide scholarships valued at $300 per participant for 150 Buffalo youth to participate in the camp.
This is the first camp of its kind, with the hope of it becoming an annual event. The focus during the camp will be teamwork, discipline and sportsmanship.
Nwora, a 2016 Park School graduate, was drafted 45th overall in the 2020 NBA Draft and was a part of the Milwaukee Bucks 2021 NBA Finals Championship team.
On December 18th, 2021, Nwora scored 28 points for his season high against the Cleveland Cavaliers in a 90-119 loss, chipping in 11 rebounds as well.
Nwora also was a New York State Federation Champion and CHSAA State Champion. He earned All-Centercourt honors back to back his junior and senior seasons and had a tremendous career with the Louisville Cardinals.
He also has played for Nigeria in the FIBA Basketball World Cup.
“I’m happy to be giving back to the city where I grew up,” Nwora said. “I was in some of their shoes not too long ago, so I’m just happy to be able to have the chance to give back.”
The Jordan Nwora Foundation’s mission is to instill human values and help children recognize the opportunities provided by sports. The foundation focuses on education and healthy lifestyle choices and strives to inspire confidence, growth and development in children.
In 2021, the foundation organized camps for 700 children from seven African cities in 2021.
Donations can be made and more information found at https://www.jnworafoundation.com/.
