From our friends at Reebok:
Canton, MA (May 11, 2011) – In 2007, the Reebok Basketball Breakout Challenge changed the course of history for John Wall. This summer, Reebok and John Wall are re-launching the Reebok Basketball Breakout Challenge to give deserving basketball players the chance to change their destiny as well.
“I’m excited to team up with Reebok to provide players a chance to get noticed,” said Wall. “Reebok Breakout was the first major step on my path, and I am humbled to be able to give back to players that deserve it and truly want to earn their way. I hope the event brings them as much success as it brought me.”
Wall, who was an unknown, unranked high school basketball player, credits the Reebok Basketball Breakout Challenge as the turning point in his career. In 2007, Wall drove 18 hours from Raleigh, NC to the Reebok Basketball Breakout Challenge in Chicago, IL, a trip that would forever change his life. “John’s performance at the event put him on the basketball radar and launched his career” said Head of Reebok Basketball, Brian Lee. “Wall went on to be the top ranked player in his high school class, followed by the SEC Player of the Year at Kentucky, and then finally the first overall pick in the 2010 NBA draft. This is truly a story about a kid with an opportunity and a dream, a dream which John feels passionate about offering others the chance to achieve.”
The Reebok Basketball Breakout Challenge is the only event of its kind in the entire basketball landscape. Reebok has developed a unique and innovative Headliner Try Out system that opens the door to this elite event for any player to earn their way in. The Headliner Try Outs are the only way to guarantee an invitation to the Reebok Basketball Breakout Challenge, meaning the selection of players will be entirely based on merit. There are fourteen Headliner Tryouts taking place across the country in late May and June. From there, the top 100 players will be extended an invitation to the Reebok Basketball Breakout Challenge held on July 6-9 at Philadelphia University.
The Reebok Basketball Breakout Challenge will provide players the opportunity to show their skills to hundreds of college coaches during the live evaluation period. Participants will not just be evaluated during game settings, but also during skill training and fitness testing. John Wall will be in attendance, encouraging participants every step of the way, and will be hand-selecting the top performers from the Reebok Basketball Breakout Challenge to attend a private training summit later in the summer.
For more information and to register for one of the 14 Headliner Tryouts, please visit www.reebokbreakout.com.
Reebok International Ltd., headquartered in Canton, MA, USA, is a leading worldwide designer, marketer and distributor of sports, fitness and casual footwear, apparel equipment. A subsidiary of a adidas Group, the company operates under the multiple divisions of the Reebok brand, Reebok-CCM Hockey and the Sports Licensed Division. For more information, visit Reebok are www.reebok.com and www.reebok.com/women.
