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NBA Legends and Nappy Roots To Host Read To Achieve Celebration at Faith Middle School

January 28, 2004 - NBA G League (G League)
Columbus Riverdragons News Release


COLUMBUS, Ga., January 28 – As part of the Columbus Riverdragons thank you to the Fort Benning community, the National Basketball Development League and the National Basketball Association will hold a Read To Achieve celebration at Faith Middle School located on Fort Benning, this Thursday, January 29 at 1 p.m.. NBA Legends Artis Gilmore, Spencer Haywood, and Charlie Scott, along with Atlantic Records national recording artists Nappy Roots will be on hand to participate in the festivities and lead students in Reading Time-outs.

The celebration will begin with a Read To Achieve "Pep Rally" at 1 p.m., led by the NBA Legends and Nappy Roots. Following the rally, the students will be separated into three groups to participate in Reading Timeouts along with their celebrity hosts. Riverdragons mascot Rivvy D, along with team and NBDL staff will also be present.

The centerpiece of the NBDL's community relations platform is the Read to Achieve initiative. As in the NBA and WNBA, Read to Achieve works to promote the love of reading and online literacy and to encourage families and adults to read regularly with young children. Throughout the year, teams execute a number of reading-related programs and activities. These programs take place at schools, libraries and community organizations, as well as in NBDL arenas. In addition, with the support of national partners such as Reading Is Fundamental and Scholastic Inc., Read to Achieve will provide over 150,000 kids with reading materials such as reading kits and books throughout the six NBDL communities.

"The development league's two-fold mission is to one: develop and prepare players for the NBA. And two: promote goodwill within our communities and schools," said Riverdragons Team President J. Barry McMullin. "Tapping into the NBA's resources and providing Faith Middle School with an opportunity to celebrate reading with NBA legends and chart-topping performers shows our commitment to furthering the minds of the students within our community."

With the assistance of local sponsors Sprint PCS, H& R Block, Wachovia, Holiday Inn, Spalding and the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer, Thursday's events will culminate with the Riverdragons hosting the league-leading Charleston Lowgators at Audie Murphy Gym in front of a capacity crowd composed predominately of troops from the U.S. Army Infantry Training Brigade and Reservist Group 2154, which is in training for deployment. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m..

Nappy Roots will perform during special pre-game and half-time concerts, and the game will get underway when former NBA All-Stars Gilmore, Haywood, and Scott toss the ceremonial first tip. McMullin will be presenting an encased, official NBDL red, white, and blue basketball to Fort Benning as a token of appreciation for its continued service to our country and for being gracious hosts of Thursday's game.

NBA TV will be on hand to televise the game live, with selected members of the ITB and the 2154 providing color commentary for the broadcast alongside play by play man Rick Kamla. A follow-up feature on the activities will air on "This Week in the NBDL" immediately following the game, also on NBA TV. TNT will also provide live highlights and stories via satellite from the event to a national television audience during its NBA double-header Thursday night.

For additional information on the Columbus Riverdragons or the NBDL please visit NBDL.com.

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