Former NBA star Hakeem Olajuwon talks to reality TV show hosts at the Basketball Star Night on Friday in Houston. MAY ZHOU / CHINA DAILY

Young hoopsters in western China are in for a fast break.

Close to $5,000 was raised at Basketball Star Night to help build basketball courts for rural school children in Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region on July 6 in Houston.

The charity event, hosted by America Modern Green (AMG) Education Foundation, US-China Partnerships and Olajuwon Bateer Dream Academy (OBDA), was attended by former NBA stars Hakeem Oulajuwon, Clyde Drexler, Mengke Bateer and Robert Horry.

VIPs in attendance included US-China Partnerships chairman Charles Foster and his wife Lily Chen Foster and Chinese Consul Yang Song.

AMG auctioned off a dinner with the four former NBA stars through Alibaba's platform to raise the funds. Proceeds will be given to the Chinese charity One Foundation to oversee distribution of the funds.

"We come together tonight for the love of basketball, cultural exchange between China and the US, and charity," said Dilinuoer Jumahong, CEO of OBDA and wife of Bateer. "We are happy to have this opportunity to help children out."

Jumahong said that OBDA has brought five Chinese high school students to Houston. Together with local young basketball talents, they are currently being trained by the four retired NBA players present and their experiences are being filmed to be made into a reality TV show that will be aired in China. The charity event was also filmed for the show.

"The idea for this charity came out of a casual chat with people at AMG, and I am very happy it got done in such a short time," said Jumahong. "The internet is a wonderful thing."

Ejat Amudong, one of the high school students from Xinjiang, accepted the donation on behalf of the schools from Cai Yuquan, manager of America Modern Green.

"Everything starts with a dream, a dream of many children from rural China playing basketball in China," Cai said. "However, because of poverty, it's not possible for many of them. So we join hands to create this program to help children achieve their dreams."

"We want to make a difference and have an impact. We are happy to be a part of this," said Hakeem Oulajuwon.

mayzhou@chinadailyusa.com