Gen-Next players, who come under the Reliance Foundation Junior NBA programme, were a part of a ‘Life Skills Development’ session that was headed by three-time champion Bruce. And, among those in attendance was Chennai lass Jeevika Kumar.

“The junior players had a great time. Personally, I had planned a lot of things for this calendar year, but the coronavirus pandemic has just spoiled everything. As I was unable to do anything for a few months (because of the situation), I was demotivated.

‘‘The interaction with Bruce just lifted my spirits and I have started working on some things,” said Jeevika, who donned the India colours at the Junior NBA global tournament in Florida, USA, last year. “It was a dream-come-true moment for me. Bruce encouraged the players with his words and we had an exciting session with him.”

The 49-year-old was brought on board by NBA India to educate the youngsters about mental health and wellness during these unprecedented times.

Jeevika admitted that she felt down in the dumps until a few days back, but added that she is a rejuvenated soul right now.

“I represent my club – Slammers BC – and school – St Joseph’s – in various competitions. If not for the health crisis, I would have participated in so many tournaments. With COVID-19 playing spoilsport, I broke down. But, I have taken inspiration from a story that Bruce narrated. It was similar to what I experienced in the past few months and I could connect with what he said,” she explained.

Teenager Jeevika revealed that Bruce also shared invaluable pieces of advice regarding gameplay.

“He gave me tips on how to improve my shooting percentage. His words were of great help,” signed off Jeevika.