Sands China Welcomes NBA Legend Mitch Richmond to Inspire Young Basketball Players on Campus

The first event of the “NBA Cares x Sands Cares Community Impact Week”

(Macao, Oct 8, 2025) – A youth basketball exchange, the first event of the “NBA Cares x Sands Cares Community Impact Week” jointly launched by NBA Cares and Sands Cares, was held Wednesday at Lou Hau High School, bringing NBA Legend Mitch Richmond and NBA coaches to the school. During the event, they provided basketball training and mentorship to 200 students from Lou Hau High School, along with 12 teachers and students from NBA Cares’ “Her Time to Play” initiative. The event welcomed approximately 240 attendees, including Dr. Wilfred Wong, executive vice chairman of Sands China Ltd., and a group of Sands Cares Ambassadors.

To kick off the event, students from the affiliated kindergarten of Lou Hau High School presented a lively basketball dance. Led by Richmond, an exciting five-on-five skills challenge between students followed, creating a vibrant and energetic atmosphere. In addition, Richmond and Dr. Wong presented basketballs and training equipment to the school on behalf of NBA and Sands China, supporting the continued development of its basketball programme.

“Sports is a bridge that brings communities together and spreads positive energy,” said Dr. Wong. “Sands China is honoured to kick off the ‘NBA Cares x Sands Cares Community Impact Week’ with this event, inviting NBA Legend Mitch Richmond and a team of professional coaches to teach basketball skills to students at Lou Hau High School and rural teachers and students from the Chinese Mainland. We are delighted to see the youths’ passion and potential for basketball. We will continue to promote community sports exchanges, providing a platform to inspire the dreams of young sports enthusiasts in Macao and injecting long-term momentum into the development of local sports.”

Cheang Kit Chio, principal of Lou Hau High School, said: “Our school is truly honoured to have NBA Legend Mitch Richmond, the team of professional NBA coaches, and the rural students from the Chinese Mainland travel to Macao join our students for a skills challenge. It gave our students a rare opportunity to witness the athletic excellence of world-class athletes up close and deeply experience the positive impact of major sporting events on the community. They gained invaluable insights and rich rewards. We sincerely thank the NBA and Sands China for their generous donation of sports equipment, which provides strong support for the development of our school’s athletic programme.”

A participating student from the school shared: “The NBA is the pinnacle of the basketball world. I’m thrilled to have taken part in this basketball exchange and to interact closely with an NBA Legend. It helped me truly understand the elite skills and mental qualities required of international-level basketball players. This experience greatly broadened my horizons and benefited me immensely.”

Held Oct. 8-12, the five-day impact week coincides with The NBA China Games 2025, which will be held at The Venetian Arena Oct. 10 and 12. NBA Legends including Mitch Richmond, Tim Hardaway, Yao Ming, Shawn Marion, and Deron Williams, as well as current players from the Phoenix Suns and Brooklyn Nets, will take part in a series of community events. These include basketball exchanges on campus, distributing boxed lunches in the community, a community basketball carnival, and the “Her Time to Play” clinic, using basketball as a bridge to extend NBA Cares’ spirit of compassion and connection to the Macao community.

The official tip-off event of the “NBA Cares x Sands Cares Community Impact Week” takes place Oct. 9 at The Venetian Arena. Players from the Phoenix Suns and Brooklyn Nets will participate in meaningful community outreach, offering a basketball clinic to local students and “Her Time to Play” participants, as well as joining Sands Cares Ambassadors in assembling goodie bags and health kits for the local community.

These activities, along with other community initiatives by Sands China, are part of the Sands Cares global corporate citizenship programme. With Sands China being an important stakeholder in the local community, the Sands Cares Ambassador programme is an influential tool that illustrates the company’s unwavering commitment to contribute to society, serving as an important connection between Sands China and local residents.

Photo caption: NBA Cares and Sands Cares hold a youth basketball exchange for their Community Impact Week Wednesday at Lou Hau High School, inviting NBA Legend Mitch Richmond and NBA coaches to provide basketball training and mentorship to 200 students from Lou Hau High School, along with 12 teachers and students from NBA Cares’ “Her Time to Play” initiative. The first event of Community Impact Week welcomed approximately 240 attendees, including Dr. Wilfred Wong, executive vice chairman of Sands China Ltd., and a group of Sands Cares Ambassadors.

Photo caption: Students of the affiliated kindergarten of Lou Hau High School present a lively basketball dance at the youth basketball exchange of the “NBA Cares x Sands Cares Community Impact Week” Wednesday at Lou Hau High School.

Photo caption: NBA Legend Mitch Richmond leads students in a lively five-on-five skills challenge at the youth basketball exchange of the “NBA Cares x Sands Cares Community Impact Week” Wednesday at Lou Hau High School.

Photo caption: NBA Legend Mitch Richmond (left) and Dr. Wilfred Wong (right), executive vice chairman of Sands China Ltd., present basketballs and training equipment to Lou Hau High School on behalf of the NBA and Sands China at the youth basketball exchange of the “NBA Cares x Sands Cares Community Impact Week” Wednesday at Lou Hau High School. The donation was accepted by Cheang Kit Chio (centre), principal of Lou Hau High School.

Photo caption: Mitch Richmond (left) presents an NBA basketball and Dr. Wong (right) presents a set of NBA pins, to Lou Hau High School at the youth basketball exchange of the “NBA Cares x Sands Cares Community Impact Week” Wednesday at the school. The souvenirs were accepted by Principal Cheang, who also presented the school’s commemorative school pennants to them.

Photo caption: Mitch Richmond and Dr. Wilfred Wong present goodie bags to participating students at the youth basketball exchange of the “NBA Cares x Sands Cares Community Impact Week” Wednesday at Lou Hau High School. Each bag contained a custom quick-dry towel, cordless jump rope, an NBA blind box, and other items.