As NBA rosters begin to swell with international players, the league has started to look for the next frontier of great basketball talent. Most experts believe the next frontier is Africa.
''I think if there's a market in the future, it's Africa,'' said Dallas Mavericks coach Don Nelson, one of the major figures in the international game. ''The problem is infrastructure. There is virtually none over there. That's why you see raw, talented athletes that really don't have a good feel for the game and as a result, those guys have a hard time sticking; Hakeem Olajuwon, Michael Olowokandi and Mutumbo are the exceptions. The majority of African players that come to the States have lacked that development in their formative years. And just like in scholastic education where you can't be expected to skip high school and go to Harvard, it's the same thing with basketball. Although there are a few exceptions, a young player cannot be expected to come to America and excel at the collegiate or professional level if they aren’t taught the basics during your formative years.''
Basketball without Borders Africa, an NBA sponsored program, is one of several programs designed to rectify this situation and take advantage of the large talent pool that exists throughout Africa. The camp is held in Johannesburg and brings together the continent's top 100 junior high school players for three and a half days of intensive training. This year, 22 African nations will be represented. Similar basketball instruction camps have been held for the past three years in Europe and for the past two years in Latin America. Dikembe Mutombo has run the camp since 2004 with the help of more than twenty NBA players and coaches scheduled to participate. Mutombo, who didn’t start playing basketball until he was 19, went on to become the NBA’s greatest shot blockers of all time in a career that spanned three decades. Mutumbo was the exception to the rule.
Matthew’s all star team scheduled a month tour of African countries including Chad, Algeria, the Ivory Coast, Ghana, the Senegal, Angola, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Eritrea and Ethiopia. Each stop included clinics, exhibition games and a match-up against the host nation national team. I caught up with Matthew in Ethiopia where I watched him personally spend two hours with a tall, 16-year old boy named Mekdem. The boy had no idea how to play defense, shoot a free throw or execute a two-handed bounce pass, but boy, Mekdem could jump.
Matthew and Mekdem passed the ball back and forth for fifteen minutes alternating bounce passes and chest passes, as the boy tried to copy what Matthew was showing him. Twenty other boys watched and listened. Matthew’s patience was amazing.
“Try to keep the ball on your fingers; don’t let it get into the palm of your hands,” Matthew said as he demonstrated the proper way to make a chest pass.”
“That’s it; now let’s pretend there is someone guarding me, so we’ll try a bounce pass. Not bad, but remember to snap it with your fingers and wrists. That’s good, just keep practicing that.”
“Soft hands,” he shouted to the attentive crowd that watched his every move. “When you catch the ball, you need soft hands. Pretend someone is handing you a baby, just let the ball settle into your hands. Don’t fight it. Okay, practice that every day. Nobody wants to pass the ball to you if you can’t catch it. Good, that’s what I’m talking about, now you’re kicking ass.” The big smile on the Mekdem’s face told me he had seen the video and wanted to kick some ass himself.
Matthew’s teammates took over the instructions as Matthew walked over to where I was sitting. “Coach, it’s good to see you, we could use another good teacher out here.”
“I don’t have your patience, Matthew; I don’t know how you do it. What’s your secret?”
“No secret, Coach. I just love basketball and love people. What a thrill it would give me if some of these kids used basketball as a means to get a college education and give something back to the community. Do you know that Mekdem means ‘first’ in his language? Mekdem told me he wants to be the first from his village to play basketball in America. Doesn’t that bring tears to your eyes?”
It did, especially the way Matthew said it. I realized that his tour was much more than large crowds and world leaders – it was also an opportunity to work one-on-one with the children. Words were not necessary as my eyes answered Matthew’s question. I changed the subject.
“I was going to catch your game tonight against the Ethiopian all-stars. Do they have anyone any good?”
“They have some nice players, but if you want to see some good basketball, come see us play next Wednesday in the Republic of Congo. This will also give you an idea of what this program is all about.”
Ken, Marco, Father Sean and I chartered a plane Wednesday to see Matthew’s International all-star team play an all-African team led by NBA players Hakeem Olajuwon, with the Houston Rockets, now Portland's Ruben Boumtje-Boumtje (Cameroon) and Toronto's Mamadou N'diaye and DeSagana Diop from Senegal and Orlando's Olumide Oyedeji from Nigeria. Dikembe Mutumbo, from Zaire, was team captain.
The first half was nothing, if not entertaining. It was a typical all-star game with Olajuwon leading fast breaks and throwing down dunks reminiscent of his college days with Clyde “the Glide” Drexel at the University of ‘Phi-Slamma-Jamma”, sometimes referred to as the University of Houston, and players on both sides getting open for wide open jump shots and layups. The score was tied at 63 when the horn sounded.
“Where’s the defense?” Ken asked, as the players left the floor. “It’s like watching an NBA all-star game.
“The only person that hasn’t scored much is Matthew,” Marco remarked. “I thought he was better than that.”
Father Sean and I kept silent. We had learned that Matthew could defend himself and there was no need to sing his praises.
Africa took the ball out in the second half and quickly got the ball to Diop who drove for the basket only to lose the ball as Matthew reached in and deflected it away. The turnover started a fast break resulting in two points. Moments later Olajuwon missed a short, contested jumper. Matthew rebounded and started another fast break resulting in what appeared to be an easy layup for a teammate until Mutumbo leaped high to swat the ball into the stands. The crowd stood and roared as Mutumbo waived his forefinger at the player - ‘don’t bring that weak stuff into my house’, Mutumbo’s trademark gesture that now draws technical fouls in the NBA for taunting – but not in Africa.
The rest of the half featured exciting, hard-nosed defensive basketball. It was almost impossible to score inside on the African big men unless you beat them down the court off a steal or long rebound. The International team relied almost solely on Matthew’s long range shooting and he didn’t disappoint. Although double and triple teamed, frequently by seven-footers, Matthew could get his shot off any time he wanted.
“I thought Jordan was the best at creating separation for his shot, but Wilson is even better,” Marco said in awe, wanting to retract his earlier skepticism.
“The difference is that Wilson can do it from longer range,” Ken added.
Matthew could also do it on the defensive end as he disappointed the sold-out crowd of 17,000 when he blocked Olajuwon’s shot at the buzzer to give the International team a one-point victory.
“Come on, let’s try to beat the crowd out of here,” Marco said as the crowd gave the players a standing ovation.
“Hold on, I have a feeling the best is yet to come.” I said, remembering Matthew’s promise to show us what this African basketball tour was all about. The crowd was still applauding the players as Matthew grabbed a microphone and asked for silence.
“I want to thank all the great basketball players that played tonight and have helped make basketball in Africa so popular.” Matthew hesitated and the crowd applauded. “Tonight, we have raised almost $400,000, all of which will be donated to developing youth basketball in the Republic of Congo and throughout Africa.” More applause. “But tonight I want to personally pay my respects to one great man; Dikembe Mutumbo, will you please join me?” The crowd stood to cheer one of their own.
“Dikembe, I will let othe
rs praise you for your basketball skills which were on display tonight. I am more interested in Dikembe Mutumbo, the person, the man who never forgot the less fortunate people from your home country of Zaire, now the Republic of Congo. You didn’t forget who you are or where you came from, and for that I applaud you.” The crowd remained standing and gave Mutumbo another long and enthusiastic ovation.
“Most of you know this man can dunk a basketball and block the shots of others like no one else in NBA history, but do you know he paid for the Congolese women's basketball team's trip to the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and for the track team's uniforms and expenses?”
“Do you know the Mutombo set up the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation to combat childhood diseases in this country and that he regularly sends back supplies and medicine?”
“Do you know he has contributed $15 million dollars of his own money to help fund a 300-bed Biamba Marie Mutombo Hospital and Research Center, named for the memory of his mother?’
“Do you know that every year he returns home in the NBA offseason and works tirelessly with children in your country’s youth programs?”
“Do you know this man is fluent in nine languages, five of them African, and uses his voice to speak out about the 800 million people living on the edge of starvation and has recorded Public Service Announcements in English and French calling for support in the battle to prevent 24,000 people from dying of hunger every year?”
Matthew paused as the crowd erupted in cheers again. “Dikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean Jacque Wamutombo”, Matthew started, putting a hand on Mutumbo’s shoulder and using his full name, “this world would be a much better place if there were more men and women like you. Please let me know if you ever need my help, and I will be there for you.”
The crowd roared in delight, and pride in their countryman, as Mutumbo and Wilson embraced.
Father McGinnis summed it up for all of us; “I could have skipped the basketball and gone directly to the main course. Wasn’t that wonderful?”
“There wasn’t a dry eye in the place,” Ken added.
“It makes me feel ashamed that I don’t do more,” I thought. I made a promise to myself to sit down with Rosann the next time I was home and decide how we could help make a difference. We needed to devote time as well as money, much like Dikembe Mutombo.
Chapter 16 - Akitu New Year Festival