U.S. Basketball Stars Lead Sports Clinics throughout Georgia

August 5, 2009

Former NBA and WNBA stars, Vlad Stepania and Barbara Turner.

Former NBA and WNBA stars, Vlad Stepania and Barbara Turner, were big hits throughout Georgia as they conducted seven mini-training sessions for about 300 Georgian youths in Tbilisi, Batumi, Kutaisi and Gori. Stepania, formerly with the Seattle Supersonics and already a legend in his native Georgia, was able to effectively transmit the values of sports, leadership and team spirit to young players.  In addition to teaching on-court skills and drills, the players visited a local orphanage in Tbilisi where they met with children and presented WNBA-donated basketballs. Both stars were interviewed by local and national media. At the final round of hoops in Tbilisi, the Georgian Minister of Culture and Ambassador Tefft spoke about sports as a bridge between cultures, underscoring the bonds of friendship between both countries.