NBA Central Court on The South Bank
Free basketball events at The National Theatre to coincide with the opening of Central Court.
NBA is unveiling the Central Court at the National Theatre and is putting on free events all weekend from Friday October 10th to Sunday October 12th 2008.
The NBA will unveil the first NBA Central Court in London, an interactive fan experience featuring more than 20 basketball themed events, as a part of NBA Europe Live 2008.
The various free events listed below run at these times during the weekend:
Friday October 10: 12pm - 7pm
Saturday October 11: 9am - 7pm
Sunday October 12: 9am - 4pm
NBA Commissioner David Stern and local dignitaries will officially tip off Central Court on the Friday to welcome basketball fans throughout London.
The schedule of free basketball events at the National Theatre will include the 'You vs. the EA Sports Crew' skills challenge, with the Heat's Dwyane Wade and Tottenham Hotspur striker Darren Bent going head-to-head against fans in a unique basketball, football, video game competition with games FIFA 09 and NBA LIVE 09.
Additionally, fans will also have the chance to take part in shooting contests, interact with the New Jersey Nets mascot, "Sly", cheer on Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA teams, dance-off with the Miami Heat Dance Team and see some of their favorite NBA players and Legends.
The court will also serve as a stage for the Great Britain Wheelchair Basketball Team, who recently won the Olympic bronze medal in Beijing. Members of British Basketball's Women's Senior National Team will host an instruction clinic with local Jr. WNBA players. England Basketball will also have a presence at NBA Central Court, distributing information detailing where aspiring players can receive basketball instruction and participate in organized games.
NBA Central Court, which will be highlighted by a replica NBA court outside the National Theatre on London's South Bank, will run from October 10-12. The weekend of free events at Central Court will lead to the soldout game between the New Jersey Nets and the Miami Heat in the O2 Arena on the Sunday.
Find out more about NBA Central Court and NBA Europe Live.
How to get there
Rail - Waterloo, Waterloo East or walk over the Hungerford Bridge from Charing Cross.
Underground - The closest tube stations are Waterloo (on the Northern, Bakerloo & Jubilee lines), Southwark (on the Jubilee line) or walk over the Hungerford Bridge from Embankment (on the Northern, Bakerloo, District and Circle lines).
Buses - All the following buses stop on Waterloo Bridge and you can take the steps down to Southbank on either side of the bridge or use the pavements that slope down away from the river and then double back to take you to Upper Ground, which runs behind the Southbank Centre: 1, 4, 26, 59, 68, 76, 139, 168, 171, 172, 176, 188, 243, 341, 521, X68, Riverside Bus (RV1 - which also stops on Upper Ground which runs by the back of the Southbank Centre). 77 (Upper Ground near the Festival Hall), 211 & 507 (Waterloo Road near the main station), 381 (Stamford Street). 45, 63 & 100 all stop at the southern end of Blackfriars Bridge, and there is a 10 minute walk along the riverside to the Southbank Centre.
