By Neto Baptiste
Head of the Wadadli Elite basketball organisation, Byron Andrew, in a last-ditch effort to help two young promising players achieve their dreams, is soliciting government’s assistance in acquiring US visas to enable the duo to travel via a US port to Mexico for a Basketball Without Borders NBA camp.
Shooting guard Tequan Broodie and centre Lopez Adams were both invited to the event but would first need to secure the important document in order to pass through Miami on their way to Mexico City.
Broodie was invited over a month ago while Adams was invited over a year ago, however numerous applications to get the visas necessary to enter the US have failed.
“We’ve tried to get it; the family has tried to get it and it was unsuccessful. These two kids were given an opportunity by the NBA without borders [Basketball Without Borders – NBA Global] to come to an academy to try out and, trust me, if they go for that tryout, we won’t see them again in Antigua,” he said.
Andrew said he has been in contact with a number of government officials who have vowed they would try to assist, but there has been no progress to date.
“We need somebody in high authority to make representation for these two kids, whether by calling somebody at the [US] Embassy [or] writing a letter in order for these two young men to get their visas to travel to Mexico, they would have to pass through a US port. They would also need their Mexican visas but the main hurdle is the American visa,” he said.
Basketball Without Borders provides opportunities for elite players to learn the game from world-class players and coaches; showcase their skills in front of NBA, WNBA and FIBA coaches, players and scouts; and compete against the top talent in the world.