• by Karl Greenberg , April 28, 2010

The National Basketball Association would probably concede that, when it comes to cultivating a global fan base for hoops those Wii paddles and advertising go only so far if. The League relies on a decidedly low-tech approach with its global grass roots program that it says reaches some 13 million people.

In domestic markets this summer, the NBA is hitting the road for the fourth time with its “NBA Nation� truck tour to get consumers riled up about hoops in major markets. The tour, backed by T-Mobile USA, multi-year exclusive auto partner Kia Motors and Sprite, starts in Phoenix on May 1 at the “Cinco De Mayo Phoenix Festival� and then goes to Denver, Los Angeles, Cleveland, New York, Philly, Minneapolis and Dallas.

The NBA says the tour, which brings in over a million fans per the League, will feature NBA legend Darryl Dawkins. The famed Chocolate Thunder may be remembered as much for his seismic backboard-shattering dunks as for the points the totted up. Dawkins will be at each market to press the flesh, and judge various competitions consumers can participate in.

T-Mobile gets branding on the “Halftime Court and Halftime Report� area, the Kia is on the “Kia Motors Performance Challenge� and Sprite brands a competition called the “Slam Dunk Showdown.�

In conjunction with the NBA’s Hispanic marketing initiative éne•bé•a, NBA Nation will visit three major Hispanic festivals in addition to having a branded area at all NBA Nation tour stops.

Most of the activities involve visitors playing variations on basketball: a “T-Mobile Halftime Court� involves families and friends playing an opposing team to see who can sink their shots first; a “Kia Motors Performance Challenge� tests visitors’ dribbling, passing and shooting skills against a clock. The winner of a final competition in Dallas, comprising people who won in each of the eight markets, gets a 2011 Kia Sorento crossover; in the “The Sprite Slam Dunk Showdown� visitors vie for best dunk with Dawkins judging. One winner from each city will receive a $1,000 prize and continue competing for the chance to be crowned the Sprite Slam Dunk Showdown Champion at NBA All-Star 2011 in Los Angeles.

The League’s other worldwide grassroots programs around clinics, contests, skills competitions and player appearances include the “Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA�; “NBA FIT�;; “NBA Jam Van� in the U.S., China and Europe; “NBA Madness� in Asia, Europe and Latin America; and “NBA All-Star Jam Session.�