Four American sports legends will be on the Island this week to take part in both the official opening of the renovated Port Royal Golf Course and Bermuda Basketball Association's All-Star Weekend at Bermuda College.

Julius Erving and Bill Russell will be the star guests at the basketball event and will be joined at Tuesday night's reception at Port Royal and the following day's Captain's Choice tournament by former National Football League quarterback Boomer Esaison and former top pro golfer Lee Elder.

Esaison, once considered one of the NFL's leading quarterbacks and now a sports broadcaster, will later talk about his experience in Bermuda via his blog on Facebook and on his New York radio programme.

Erving, best remembered for his time with the Philadelphia 76ers, was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1993. He won three championships, four MVP awards and three scoring titles while playing with the ABA's Virginia Squires and New York Nets and the 76ers.

Russell, another Hall of Famer, was a member of the Boston Celtics team that won 11 championships in his 13-year career. He also won a gold medal in the 1956 Olympics for basketball. He was considered the first African American player to achieve superstar status in the NBA, a five-time winner of the NBA MVP Award and a 12-time All-Star.

Elder, who visited Bermuda last year for the PGA Grand Slam, which will be played at Port Royal this year, is well-known for the role he played in breaking the golf race barrier. He was the first African-American to play in the Masters at Augusta and represented the USA in the Ryder Cup.

Co-hosted by Build your own Bridge (BYOB), the basketball All-Star Weekend will see Erving and Russell on hand to greet past and current players who will take part in the games.

Chris Crumpler, one of Bermuda's top basketball players who played a key role in the team's gold medal triumph at the recent Small Island Games, will be among the Serving Knowledge to Youth (SKY) players as they look to put on a show in front of their guests.

"Bill Russell and Dr. J (Erving) are legends of the game and for them to come to Bermuda is a honour, especially for someone like myself," said Crumpler.

"My hat goes off the BBA and president Allen Walker as this organisation gives 100 percent of their funds to its programme. We are seeing that the fruits of our labour do not go in vain, and this weekend will highlight those both past and present who have contributed to get basketball to where it is today.

"John Lee has also helped to make this event possible with BYOB."

Crumpler added: "This event will highlight a great year for basketball in Bermuda 2008-09, we have participated in our first ever FIBA tournament that will give Bermuda an opportunity to pre-qualify for the Olympics.

"We just won the Island Games in the most competitive Games ever.

"Erica Woods is playing for Great Britain Under-20s. We have over 30 men with college and international experience, the pool for the best 12 players on the Island is getting bigger and tougher each year.

"Basketball is the number one sport in high school in Bermuda, and the number two sport in the world."

Admission is $30 and tickets can be picked up at the International Sports Shop. Gates open at 6 p.m. with tip-off at 7.30.