Sixteen-year-old Knox College student Tyrese Thompson returned to the island on Sunday after completing a week-long experience in New York City as part of the Digicel/National Basketball Association (NBA) Jumpstart Elite camp.

The promising basketballer was a part of the top 13 boys and girls selected by former NBA Head Coach Lionel Hollins, NBA legend Robert Horry and WNBA player Skylar Diggins following their participation in the Digicel NBA Jumpstart Elite Camp in September, which brought together the best basketball players aged 17 and under from Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago.

In addition to undergoing rigorous training sessions, the contingent also played practice games against local youth basketball team Rutgers Prep.

On a lighter side, the youngsters enjoyed a tour of the NBA facilities, where they got a chance to see the official NBA Championship trophy up close before visiting New York City landmarks. The icing on the cake came last Wednesday when they attended the much-anticipated matchup between the New York Knicks and NBA champions Cleveland Cavaliers at the iconic Madison Square Garden.

“Jumpstart is about giving the best young talent in the Caribbean the opportunity to achieve greatness for themselves, so it’s encouraging to see the level of dedication from the players,” said Digicel Jamaica Senior Sponsorship Manager Kamal Powell.

“The success of the programme comes in large part from the NBA’s level of professionalism and commitment, and only two years in, the success has been unimaginable.”

Thompson, who is the captain for the Knox College team, said his experience in New York with the NBA has been life-changing.

“I have been exposed to what playing at a higher level is like. It has opened my eyes to what a career in basketball would be like and what is expected of me. The skills I’ve learnt here will certainly take me to the next level,” shared Thompson.

Speaking more on his new skills, Thompson continued: “I learnt a lot, especially with lay-ups, dribbling and working with others. I am weak with my left hand in shooting so the drills that I went through really helped with that.”

While Thompson has his sights set on the NBA, his next step is to share what he has learnt with his teammates.

“I want to share my experience with my friends. I’m looking forward to getting back into practice and sharing the skills I’ve learnt with my teammates; ultimately it will make us a better team.”

“We are proud that the second year of the Digicel NBA Jumpstart programme has been successful in showcasing our commitment to growing the game in the Caribbean,” said NBA Vice-President, Latin America Arnon de Mello.

“Congratulations to these 13 boys and girls who had the unique opportunity to learn directly from NBA and WNBA players and coaches. I know that they had a fantastic time on their trip to New York City as they enjoyed the authentic NBA experience.”

In 2015, Digicel and the NBA announced a multi-year partnership that will deliver live games and extensive NBA programming to almost 30 Caribbean territories through

Digicel SportsMax and makes Digicel the official wireless partner of the NBA in the region. This partnership also allows Digicel customers to get in on the action through a number of promotions that will be launched across the Caribbean.