Departing from France, 15 players and 10 staff members flew to Orlando for an 8-day trip, from October 30 to November 6. For this 4th basketball camp in the United States, Baz’n Camp once again aimed to immerse its participants completely in the world of basketball and American culture for a week.
TRAINING AND GAMES “self-reflection, improvement, and progress” (Benjamin B.)
After a 10-hour flight and a short night in the villa, the Baz’n team had its first training session, led by Iren Rainey, a coach specialized in developing specific skills for NBA players, having worked with NBA players such as Austin Rivers, Nikola Vucevic, John Collins, Cole Anthony, Wendell Carter Jr, and many others.
In the afternoon, the campers started the first session of a challenging series of matches. After a tough start against the players from the Southeastern Academy, our campers showed their determination against Montverde Academy, the number 1 high school basketball school in the country, and the teams from Daytona Beach Academy. Despite different game rules and a new environment, the Baz’n Team gradually adapted to the playing logic of American teams throughout the matches: eat or be eaten, and managed to keep their opponents on an equal footing in various encounters. Some campers stood out throughout the matches and may potentially earn a scholarship to join a school in the United States.
TESTIMONY (Théophraste): “It wasn’t easy to play with people we don’t know or have never played with, but it’s also very instructive and builds experience. On the other hand, we were able to see Americans play, whether against us or from an external point of view, which shows us their mentality and their way of playing is really different from ours.”
TESTIMONY (Yanis): “Playing against American teams who come at us aggressively, that’s what I love in the USA.”
VISIT TO TOP ACADEMIES
The campers were also able to envision the lives of students at the prestigious academies we visited and competed against, discovering their daily routines: classes, training spaces, rest areas, communal living, and student rooms. They were particularly impressed by the training of the Montverde national team, which they were able to witness in its entirety and during which they observed Cooper Flagg, currently ranked number 1 in the country and announced as the number 1 pick in the 2025 NBA draft. But it was later that our team was able to step into the world of the NBA.
TESTIMONY (Benjamin Belami): “What I liked the most and what impressed me the most was really seeing the national team of Montverde train and seeing everything they had [comme encadrement et matériel] It’s like a dream for a basketball player, and it really gave me the motivation to reach that level. Playing on this court really gave me motivation!”
PRIVILEGED ACCESS TO THE NBA UNIVERSE:
Players and accompanying parents were dazzled during the two NBA games we were able to watch. Day 3: an early departure was necessary to fully enjoy a day in Miami. After exploring the famous Ocean Drive avenue and South Beach, the campers had privileged access to the Kaseya Center thanks to Baz’n Camp to observe the players in pre-match preparation from the front rows of the stands. They were later able to enjoy the NBA atmosphere and see the Washington Wizards defeated by the Miami Heat. The next day, the doors of the Amway Center, the playground of the Orlando Magic, opened for the campers, as a preview of a Magic vs Lakers match. The enthusiasm was general when the group was offered the opportunity to approach LeBron James and Anthony Davis during their warm-up, thanks to Baz’n Camp’s special entrances.
TESTIMONY (Elodie): “Meeting Americans open to others, playing on American soil, on courts worthy of NBA games allows you to experience this like no other. The announced program was widely respected and well-conducted, going from discovery to discovery. The most striking: all the encounters (Anthony Davis…), each richer than the other, as well as the feasibility of activities in one week. A rich experience on all levels, allowing you to dream big, all in just one week.”
Throughout the week, the participants discovered typical American fast food and shopping malls and shared strong moments of conviviality in our residence villa and during travel and activities. Our trip was marked by numerous surprises and endless laughter, but also by important life lessons that, we hope, sparked a renewed sense of seriousness and ambition among these campers who had the chance to join a basketball team to play in the United States.
