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Best One Team programs and Ambassador from the 2023-24 season honored with awards

Best One Team programs and Ambassador from the 2023-24 season honored with awards

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10 September 20245 Mins read

Best One Team programs and Ambassador from the 2023-24 season honored with awards

Each year, the One Team Awards identify how some of the 38 clubs competing in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and BKT EuroCup have gone above and beyond with their One Team programs. The 2023-24 season was no different, with local communities being positively impacted right across the continent.

On Tuesday, September 10, the second and final day of the 14th One Team Annual Workshop, the clubs discovered who won the Gold, Silver and Bronze Awards, as well as the Judge’s Award for Club Commitment and the Best One Team Ambassador Award.

Shortly before the One Team Awards ceremony, the clubs received a special video message from four-time EuroLeague champion Kyle Hines, who recently retired from playing basketball and served as the Global One Team Ambassador.

One Team, Euroleague Basketball's social responsibility program, is now in its 12th year and has been able to count on the support of Turkish Airlines since its inception, in addition to enjoying a long-term partnership with Special Olympics.

"The success of One Team as our corporate social responsibility arm responds to the passion, dedication and excellent work that all the One Team managers and coaches from the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and the BKT EuroCup are doing, and it goes hand in hand with everything that we believe in at Euroleague Basketball," said Abigail Martin, the Director of Sustainability & Development Projects of Euroleague Basketball.

"Once again in 2023-24, One Team programs delivered exceptional sessions by clubs in many different countries and I would like to express my gratitude and congratulate everyone involved in this year’s programs for their efforts and the fine results achieved to keep on changing lives for the better. And, of course, a special recognition to this season's award winners."

One Team Gold Program winner: Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana

The winner of this year’s One Team Gold Program award is Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana, which helped create unforgettable memories for those in the club’s One Team program. Together with Youth Care Centre Malci Belic, Cedevita helped young people at risk with learning difficulties using use basketball as a force for good as they improved their social skills. The participants, four to 12 children aged between seven and 13, also received small gifts from Cedevita’s sponsors and partners, NLB d. d. and IKEA.

Notably, Cedevita organized a collaborative trip with Umana Reyer Venice that saw the participants travel to Italy and watch the EuroCup game between the two teams, while they even had a chance to take part in a basketball session together. Another trip was organized to Zagreb, Croatia, as the participants were able to enjoy a domestic league game and enjoy a tour of Cibona’s facilities. Cedevita ensured a strong media presence regarding the program, too.

"We are happy to win the award, we are very honored. I think we have put in a lot of work this year and we are very grateful our work has been recognized," said Matic Lisac, Cedevita Olimpija's One Team Manager. "We will continue doing this good work and we hope to impact even more lives than we did in the last seasons."

One Team Silver Program: LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne

In second place is LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne, which takes home the One Team Silver Program prize. During a year-long partnership with SESSAD (Service Éducation Social Soin A Domicile), ASVEL’s One Team program aided young people with intellectual disabilities during weekly sessions lasting 90 minutes. There were 65 participants aged between seven and 52, with sport being used to help promote integration.

One major event that ASVEL put on for their One Team participants involved organizing, with the help of several sponsors, a trip to visit FC Bayern Munich ahead of the two teams’ EuroLeague clash before posting a fantastic behind-the-scenes video afterward. ASVEL’s One Team program featured many success stories, including one participant becoming a volunteer. The club’s One Team Ambassadors also earned plenty of praise for the way in which they helped the program.

"I feel great about this honor. I want to thank Euroleague Basketball for organizing the work that all the teams made in the One Team programs and I want to thank all the One Team participants. Without them, none of this is possible," said Valentine Traclet, the One Team Manager for ASVEL.

One Team Bronze Program winner: EA7 Emporio Armani Milan

Rounding out the podium is EA7 Emporio Armani Milan, which has secured the One Team Bronze Program award. Now in the sixth year of its partnership with Laureus Sport For Good Italia, Milan helped 20 children across two groups on a weekly basis, with these individuals deemed to be at risk of stepping outside of the law or living in distressing situations. Psychological well-being and social inclusion were focused on by Milan’s One Team program.

Milan was able to do particularly well when it came to getting sponsors and partners to support the club’s efforts. During the Milano City Marathon, Milan did a joint event, while its merchandising sponsor, Scalo Milano, other partners and One Team employees took part in the marathon, with all the proceeds generated going towards the club’s One Team program. Milan was open to new ideas and improvements, leading to more coverage in the local press, and data collected found that many new participants had signed up for the program in 2023-24.

"We are very honored to receive this One Team award. For us it is a sign of the growth of our project," said Michele Samaden, the One Team Manager for Milan. "Every year we try to expand our impact and this is possible thank to all our community, our community partner, our social partner and the entire fantastic team behind the scenes. Also, we thank all the people who worked on the project in the past, and who all contributed for the project to be better."

Judge’s Award for Club Commitment: Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz

Twice a week, Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz holds its One Team program in support with Gizarterako Association and Michelin. The program includes 16 at-risk children aged between five and 12, who are the sons and daughters of the women supported by Gizarterako. Baskonia uses basketball to teach important life lessons, and it also included plenty of buy-in from the club’s One Team Ambassador, Khalifa Diop.

In what was the 10th anniversary of Baskonia’s One Team program, the club made commemorative T-shirts and put together a special video that featured prominent figures from the program’s history. The club put on other events, too, such as basketball camps, practices with club staff and sponsored events. Overall, the feedback Baskonia received was very positive.

"We are really happy to receive this award. This reflects the effort and the commitment we made this season," Dorleta de la Presa, Baskonia's One Team Manager, said.

Best One Team Ambassador Award: Juancho Hernangomez

Last but not least, the Best One Team Ambassador Award goes to Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens’s Juancho Hernangomez. He received wonderful feedback in his first season as a One Team Ambassador, attending every session and going beyond his duties. The Spaniard regularly took part in drills with the participants and was an advocate of the One Team program when talking with his teammates.

Hernangomez went out of his way to promote One Team on social media, while he also bought gifts for everyone, including a signed framed photograph for the One Team program.