Stephon Marbury talks with students from Hong Kong in Chaoyang district, Beijing. Photo: huanqiu.com

Jacky Wong Ching-on, a young athlete from Hong Kong, is eagerly anticipating his first trip to Beijing as part of a cultural exchange program.

Along with 29 other participants from the Well Dunk Public Estate Basketball League & Training Program, Wong is set to embark on a journey to explore the rich cultural heritage in the capital.

The initiative is sponsored by the Greater Bay Area Youth Public Welfare Fund and the Ng Teng Fong Charitable Fund. This marks the second year of the exchange program, which was organized by the Inspiring Hong Kong Sports Foundation.

The participants arrived in Beijing on Monday and their itinerary includes visits to various cultural landmarks and exchanges with basketball legends such as former NBA star Stephon Marbury at The Box Beijing Youth Energy Center.

With support from the Beijing Overseas Friendship Association, the Chaoyang District Overseas Friendship Association, and the Hong Kong Beijing Community Association, the program aims to foster a deeper understanding of the nation's development among Hong Kong youth.

Among the 30 participants - 18 boys and 12 girls aged between 13 and 19 - many are experiencing their first airplane journey and exposure to the Chinese mainland.

Through basketball activities and cultural exchanges, they hope to gain a better understanding of their country's progress and cultivate a sense of patriotism.

On Monday, the first day of their visit, the young athletes visited the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA), where they learned about the mission of sports education from CBA Vice President Xu Jicheng.

In the afternoon, they received basketball training from Marbury himself, participating in warm-ups, drills and a friendly match.

Marbury is an American citizen but holds honorary Beijing citizenship due to his extraordinary contributions in the CBA when he was playing for the Beijing Ducks. He expressed his enthusiasm for building connections between young basketball enthusiasts from Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland.

He emphasized the abundant opportunities for Hong Kong youth in the Chinese mainland, especially in sports like basketball.

Well Dunk, established in 2019, is Hong Kong's first public-estate-based basketball league and training program.

Led by Mike Heung and Cheuk Ting, the program aims to provide professional basketball training and competition opportunities for teenagers aged 13 to 17 from public housing estates across Hong Kong.

Marbury, who was appointed as an ambassador for Well Dunk after successfully applying for the Hong Kong Top Talent Pass Scheme in November 2023, praised the program for its impact on grassroots basketball enthusiasts.

He expressed pride in being part of a movement that helps young athletes pursue their dreams and establish connections with the Chinese mainland, contributing to the development of basketball in the region.