National Basketball Association

Vasquez teaches kids in Venezuela

Published Jun. 17, 2011 1:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

Memphis Grizzlies guard Greivis Vasquez has taken to the court to give pointers to Venezuelan children as part of a U.S. State Department program aimed at building ties through sports.

The Venezuelan player teamed up with former NBA player Darvin Ham and former WNBA Player Kayte Christensen to hold a basketball clinic for children in Caracas.

Vasquez said on Friday that the purpose is for children to be motivated and that his message is that ''with effort, discipline and sacrifice, all goals are possible.''

The program comes as Venezuela's relations with the U.S. are particularly tense. Venezuela's foreign minister said last week that relations are frozen, and his government sees no possibility of improving them.