David Hollander, clinical professor at the NYU SPS Preston Robert Tisch Institute for Global Sports, originated the idea of a World Basketball Day in his book How Basketball Saved the World (based on his NYU SPS course of the same name) and was instrumental in getting is recognized by the United Nations in August 2023. Basketball is the only team sport to have an official day on the international calendar.

For the first ever World Basketball Day on December 21, 2023, professor Hollander will lead a fireside chat with Julius “Dr. J.” Erving during a morning UN session hosted by The Philippine Mission. Then diplomats from 20 countries will play a friendly pickup basketball game at the Vanderbilt YMCA.

To to warm up for those celebrations, professor Hollander faced NYU women’s basketball star Erica Miller in a game of NYU (like HORSE but shorter). Tune in to see who won.