Professional Basketball Coaching in Bangkok

Basketball is certainly not the most popular sport in Thailand and, actually, compared to its neighbours, Thailand is not even close to showing the skills that basketball players in the Philippines – the regional champions for many years now – nor Malaysia or Indonesia have developed. At a national level, Thailand has both a professional and an amateur association and the county is represented in the Southeast Asia Basketball Association (SEABA) and FIBA Asia, the international federation governing the game of basketball. The abbreviation ‘FIBA’ comes from the French title: ‘Fédération Internationale de Basketball Amateur.’

All this sounds good and gives Thai teams the chance to qualify and participate in major competitions, but before Thai players can reach that level, more focus and effort needs to be concentrated on the grassroots level. If one ignores the heat, intense humidity and the high level of pollution in Bangkok, anyone who would like to tune his or her basketball skills can easily find a community park to play in. The Thai capital has quite a few specially designed paved areas under bridges and elevated highways where the neighbourhood kids and other health-conscious members of the community gather in the evenings to bounce a ball and do some exercise.

If people want to play a game of basketball, there is no lack of basketball hoops to shoot at. Additionally, there is a score of proper basketball courts ready to be used at no cost at all in most of the major parks, sport complexes, university campuses and even some international schools throughout Bangkok. Equipment costs are also minimum. A shirt, a pair of shorts, a pair of good basketball trainers or sneakers and a basketball per team would do it. What we lack here in Thailand is solid expertise and coaching plus the kind of street culture one has in the United States where basketball is almost a part of every kid’s life.

Bill Clinton and Ike Nwankwo

Nigerian-American Ike Nwankwo, an ex-NBA player for Los Angeles Lakers, saw this lack of professional coaching in Thailand and decided to tap into the market. After a 14-year playing career during which he had also played in professional leagues in countries on four continents, trained with some of the world’s top coaches, and even met President Bill Clinton, who congratulated him on his achievements as an athlete, Ike moved to settle in Bangkok.

With 25 years of experience and an imposing height of 6’ 11”, Ike opened the Top Flight Basketball Academy, an institution that specializes in teaching and promoting basketball at youth and high school levels. Remembering the importance of his years as a high school All-American at Cypress Creek High School in Orlando, Florida, from where he graduated and moved on with a full scholarship to UCLA, Ike realized that the future of basketball in Thailand both can and will be found in the local high schools.

He started organizing basketball clinics, after-school programs, camps, and private training for individuals or groups, patiently improving the skills and basketball knowledge of his young students. Like all professionals who have been through a rigorous training system, Ike’s Top Flight Academy focuses on the teaching and reinforcement of the fundamentals of basketball. Once a strong foundation has been laid, then it is possible to work towards creating successful players who have none of the bad habits one gets from playing basketball without the careful supervision of a mentor or professional coach.

Shooting, passing, ball handling, footwork, and defense practice make up the core skills taught at Top Flight Academy while routines and drills help students with both their physical conditioning and mastery of the game. As basketball is a team game, being around friends and children of a similar age can be great fun, especially when everybody is on the court to share their interest and passion and competitive nature in the same sport.

The ratio of one coach per eight students ensures that every player receives personal attention and quality instruction. The coaches who work alongside Ike are all either former or current professional players or licensed basketball coaches. When such great athletes like Michael Knight, the former division one athlete from Seattle, Darongpan “Palm” Apriomvilaichai from Thailand, and Patrick Kona from Cameroon are there on the court teaching their students the ins-and-outs of the game, no-one will be surprised if, in the near future, the students at Top Flight Academy end up playing in professional leagues in Thailand and even abroad. Why not?

To keep the students engaged, fun activities and games are integrated into the training program but the “Top Flight Five Golden Rules for Success” will have to be observed at all times. Teamwork, courage, a strong desire not to give up, discipline, and believing in oneself are five character traits that, Ike believes, will make a successful basketball player.

Ike Nwankwo with one of his students in Bangkok

Top Flight organizes a yearly trip to Los Angeles where students will have a chance to attend three of the top instructional basketball camps in the world: Camp Lakers, Nike Basketball Camp and UCLA Bruins Basketball Camp. Obviously, such a trip is rather expensive, with the cost of the flights, accommodation, registration fees and activities summing up to a whopping 170,000 baht!

In Thailand, most of the training takes places at the basketball courts of several international schools in Bangkok and, every Saturday, at Planet Football in Pattaya. Students don’t necessarily have to go to these schools to be able to enroll. For schedules, registration, and pricing, visit Top Flight Basketball Academy’s official website.

Top Flight also runs a Men’s League and a Varsity League. Visit their websites for schedules, statistics and registration details to learn how to get out there onto the courtyard – and shoot high!

Photography by Regin Reyno