The new NBA Global Camp, a showcase for draft-eligible international prospects, has been canceled at the last minute because of "logistical issues and other contributing factors," the league confirmed late Wednesday (via ESPN.com).
The Global Camp, scheduled for May 30-June 2 in Monaco, was to be essentially an NBA combine for players outside the United States, with interviews, physicals, drills and scrimmages similar to the one for U.S. players held annually in Chicago.
"We have canceled the NBA Global Camp 2019 due to logistical issues and other contributing factors that jeopardized our ability to successfully conduct the camp," NBA executive VP of basketball operations Kiki VanDeWeghe said in a statement to ESPN. "The camp will return in the future."
Per ESPN's report:
"The decision to withdraw leaves a significant void in the scouting calendar for teams and players alike. A number of international agents told ESPN they only elected to enter their players' names into the draft pool in hopes they would be selected to play at the Global Camp, partially explaining why a record-breaking number of international players were on the early-entry list."
The NBA officially agreed to take over the event last year from Adidas, which abandoned its longtime EuroCamp showcase after the sports shoe and apparel company was caught up in the FBI investigation into corruption in college basketball recruiting.
The NBA's goal was to use the renamed NBA Global Camp as a way to promote not only the league but also its international academies.
According to ESPN, which cited unidentified sources, confusion over what venues in Monaco actually were booked by camp organizers was among the key factors in the last-minute cancellation. The Monaco-based French first division professional team AS Monaco Basket claims it wasn't consulted about the availability of its arena, which was slated to host the Global Camp.
The NBA deemed alternative gyms — typically used for high school or amateur games — unacceptable, ESPN's sources said.
