Welcome Banquet

Monday, May 6, 2024, at a location to be determine.

The 2024 40th Anniversary Welcome Banquet will be held at The View at Colony West.

Billy Thompson the former 2-time NBA Champion with the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat player will be our Keynote Speaker.

In addition there will be a special message from Hall of Fame Broadcaster Dick Stockton.

We're looking forward to visiting with you at the Welcome Banquet, an MBA family tradition!

Banquet Registration is open through the website. Registration is $40 and will end 4/25/24. Sign up today for a fun evening out!!

A welcome event to kick off the week is a long-standing tradition for the tournament and has been continued by the MBA since taking over responsibility for the tournament in 2009. The evening is one filled with renewing old friendships, food and fun.

The 2024 Welcome Banquet will be held at 

The View at Colony West

 

Billy Thompson, 2-time NBA Champions with the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat player will be the MBA’s Keynote Speaker for the 40th Anniversary Welcome Banquet!

Known by millions globally for his basketball prowess, Billy Thompson has accomplished the rare feat of winning championships on all levels of his career. He was a first-round draft pick of the Los Angeles Lakers where he won back-to-back NBA World Championships. He was also a standout player for the Miami Heat. When his career ended in the United States, he traveled overseas to play in Jerusalem. His team Hapoel Jerusalem flourished and won the Israeli Basketball State Cup Championship.

As a recognized community and civic leader, he established the Billy Thompson Foundation, a 501c3 non-profit organization, to “Make Dreams Come True” by creating hope and promoting lifelong learning mindsets that produce success for disadvantaged youth and families. The Billy Thompson Foundation vehicles such initiatives as the BT Champion Center, the 5 Star Gifts Camp, The Champion Academy, and the BT F Expanded Humanitarian Projects, which seek to provide affordable housing, clean water, health services and financial empowerment locally and globally.

He serves on the boards of the South Florida Bible College and Theological Seminary, the Alliance of Blacks and Jews, the Palm Beach North Atlantic Athletic Foundation and as Chaplain for the three-time NBA championship organization the Miami Heat.

Billy’s heart is to simply help people to become Champions in every area of their lives. He resides in Boca Raton Florida along with his wife of 33 years Cynthia Thompson. They have five children, eight beautiful grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

Past Years Keynote Speakers:

2023 – Wali Jones, World Champion 76ers.

2022 – Ron Rothstein, Miami Heat

2021 – Moody McCarthy – Nationally known Comedian

2020 – Banquet Cancelled 

2019 – Geoff Huston – Ex-NBA Player

             Dan Klores – Playwright and Filmmaker

2018 – Robert Reid – Ex-NBA Player

2017 – Rick Pitino – Ex-NBA and College Coach

2016 – CAPT Greg McWherter-US Navy Retired Former Commander of the Blue Angels