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LeBron James says: “SportsDock is unbelievable”

Saturday 28 July 2012

(LeBron James shooting hoops in SportsDock)

With the spectacular opening ceremony of the London 2012 Games now over, the Men’s USA Basketball Team today got down to the business of  some serious training at UEL’s SportsDock, ahead of tomorrow’s game against France.

Widely heralded as one of the greatest teams in USA Basketball history and with some even comparing it to the immortal 1992 “Dream Team” – UEL were invited in as a part of a special media call to witness a training session in SportDock – the University’s new £21million sports facility – and get up close up to some of the best players to ever grace a basketball court.

While Britain can lay claim to football legend David Beckham, and recently crowned Tour De France hero, Bradley Wiggins, the United States has its own sporting demigods in the shape of Kobe Bryant and LeBron James – two multimillion dollar players, who are household names across the US, and even here in certain parts of east London.

In keeping with tradition, media were invited in at the start of the training session to interview players and then given the opportunity to shoot B-roll footage. In what turned out to be an inevitable media frenzy, the Head of PR and Communications, Sara Hazzard, waited patiently with some of the world’s leading news networks and, finally seized her opportunity to ask basketball great, LeBron James, his thoughts on SportsDock as a training venue.

Speaking to Sara, LeBron remarked: “It’s great; a good opportunity for US athletes to come and train here. I think it’s unbelievable.”

When Los Angeles Lakers’ legend, Kobe Bryant, was asked for his verdict on SportsDock, he responded “It’s gorgeous; a beautiful training facility that is really well done.  Kobe also took time to offer advice to kids in east London who play basketball; “They should just keep playing and make sure they have fun. I look forward to seeing them in the NBA.”

Following tomorrow’s game against France, USA Men’s Basketball will go head to head in the remaining preliminary round against Tunisia, Nigeria, Lithuania, and Argentina.

UEL’s Docklands and Stratford Campuses will be Team USA’s main base for athlete training, performance services, staff and training partner accommodation, catering, media and logistical operations. Approximately 1,000 Team USA athletes and staff will use UEL’s new £21million state-of-the-art SportsDock during the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Notes to Editors:

To request images, please email g.greene@uel.ac.uk

Notes to Editors

The University of East London (UEL) is a global learning community with over 28,000 students from over 120 countries world-wide. Our vision is to achieve recognition, both nationally and internationally, as a successful and inclusive regional university proud of its diversity, committed to new modes of learning which focus on students and enhance their employability, and renowned for our contribution to social, cultural and economic development, especially through our research and scholarship. We have a strong track-record in widening participation and working with industry.

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