K’Nard Callendar became the first Virgin Islander to compete in the Basketball Without Borders All‑Star camp when he walked onto the court Feb. 13–15 at the UCLA Health Training Center in Los Angeles during NBA All‑Star Weekend.
Organized by the NBA in partnership with the International Basketball Federation, Basketball Without Borders is a global basketball development and community outreach program that brings together elite young players from around the world for training and competition.
The All‑Star edition of the camp is invite-only and draws approximately 40 top high‑school‑age prospects from more than two dozen countries and territories. Participants receive coaching from current and former NBA and FIBA players and coaches, compete in five‑on‑five games, and attend events tied to NBA All‑Star Weekend, including the NBA All‑Star Game at the Intuit Dome.
Callendar, a standout at Overtime Elite, earned his spot-on the global stage through a string of accomplishments. He was named to the All-Star Five at the Basketball Without Borders camp in El Salvador, earned MVP honors at the FIBA Youth Development Program and Grind Session in Florida, and has been one of OTE’s premier two-way players this season.
When asked if he was nervous walking into a gym full of top-ranked prospects, K’Nard said, “I wouldn’t say I was nervous.” He added, “Over the past couple of months, I’ve been playing other players who are highly ranked. I also played in FIBA and at other camps, so it was just another day playing basketball.”
He said he’s accustomed to competing at high levels, having participated in past FIBA camps and winning championships with his teams. “I’ve been to two past FIBA camps before this, and in both of those camps my team won the championship,” said K’Nard. “Going out on the court, I just wanted to prove that I play winning basketball.”
As the first player from the Virgin Islands ever selected for the All-Star Global Camp, Callendar said, “I felt like I had to play with a chip on my shoulder. I’m the only one representing the VI, so I felt like it’s an honor to be there. I had to show my talents to prove that the Virgin Islands is a place where great basketball players can come from.”
Both K’Nard and his father, Kennard Callendar, stressed that the Virgin Islands produces players who can compete with anyone. What’s missing, they said, is exposure. With so few college coaches and scouts traveling to the territory, much of that talent never gets the chance to be seen.
“Being good enough is only one part of the equation. You have to be in a position so that you can get seen,” said Kennard. “We can compete at any level … Once we get the kind of exposure that we need, we can compete.”
Kennard pointed out that many families can’t afford to uproot their lives and move to the mainland for a better chance at visibility. He believes the gap can’t be closed by families alone; it has to be addressed by the people and institutions that oversee youth sports in the territory.
“The administration has to step up,” Kennard said. “Whoever is running the leagues, whoever is responsible for the various athletes. Whether it’s the schools, the IAA, or individual programs they’ve got to do better. They have to get systems in place so our kids can be seen and recognized … to expose our children to universities and schools so they can earn these scholarships.”
For K’Nard, the weekend in Los Angeles was “a nice experience, being coached by former NBA players and current NBA coaches,” he said. “We were being coached by professionals at the highest level, so they were giving us a lot of tips and tricks for us to use in the game.”
The camp was held at the Los Angeles Lakers’ practice facility, where the history on the walls was impossible to ignore. “The facility was nice,” K’Nard said. “They had a glass room with all the Larry O’Brien trophies up on pedestals.”
Unfortunately, K’Nard suffered a groin injury and did not make the tournament team, but his father said he still made waves at the Basketball Without Borders Global Camp. “Even though he did not make the tournament team, he’s getting a lot of accolades, and people are saying he is definitely pro material.”
When asked what his message would be, K’Nard said: “To all the younger kids, I’d say just keep grinding, keep working hard. Hard work pays off. The more work you put in, you’ll get better over time, and eventually the work will show.”
