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FIBA Players' Mentorship Program

With millions of basketball players worldwide, reaching the highest level is only achieved by a few. However, staying at that level is even more difficult. Professional basketball players face many challenges during their careers. They need to choose a career path; they must choose adequate representation and advice; they must address the media in a professional way; they must make good financial decisions; they must make sure that they play by the rules and avoid temptations; they must maintain long-standing relationships with their fans; they must carefully select endorsement deals and comply with their obligations; they must teach themselves to live by tight schedules and endure long travels; etc. All these activities can distract players from doing what they know to do best: playing basketball and performing at the highest level on the court.

FIBA, guided by its Players’ Commission, which is led by FIBA and NBA legend Dirk Nowitzki as well as EuroBasket Champion and Olympian Sonia Vasic, understands the need to support players on and off the court.

The FIBA Players’ Mentorship Program allows for the creation of a new role under the umbrella of FIBA and its National Federations, an individual trained by FIBA to provide players (and, for young players, their parents or guardians) with the necessary off-court support.

The objectives are to:

  • Help players achieve their highest level on the court
  • Increase the education among professional basketball players to support them in their transition to a work career after their basketball career
  • Improve the players’ wellbeing by teaching them how to handle off-court distractions
  • Empower National Federations and help them create a bond with their players
  • Decrease drop-out of players at a young age, especially young women

For more information, please contact us at players@fiba.basketball.