Leading NBA player LeBron James met and talked with young basketball players at a workshop in Riyadh, which made a lot of Saudi basketball fans very happy.

James played hoops with rising stars from the Saudi women’s national team and a group of Saudi students on his first trip to the country.

While James was in the country, the Saudi Arabian Basketball Federation held a one-of-a-kind clinic at Alazem Academy. As a top instructor of the clinic, James was in charge of it.

Saudi Arabia wants to become a top place for international sports events, and this trip fits with that plan.

“We are so thrilled to have LeBron James in Riyadh,” said Dr. Ghassan Tashkandi, the head of the Saudi Basketball Federation, after the clinic. There was something truly priceless about seeing all of the players’ faces, especially their smiles and emotions. He is so passionate about the sport that he is willing to put in the work to train with our players. This is great for the growth of our sport in Saudi Arabia.

The kids who talked to James were naturally very excited, and it was hard for them to keep it together.

“Throughout my life, LeBron James had a big impact on me.” Really, it would be an insult to say that I’m thrilled to be here. Ibrahim Qattan, who is 16 years old, said, “Ever since I was a child, I’ve worked hard every day to become just like him.”

Another player on the other team, Abdullah Basha, said something similar: “As a kid, you only saw him on TV or your phone, so to see him here today doing his thing is just amazing.” I was shocked that it was real, and I needed someone to wake me up!

Today, 240 players make up the first group of Saudi Arabian women who play basketball. Some big changes have happened in basketball in the last few years. Since 2018, involvement has grown by 54% in the kingdom thanks to many grassroots programs.