The NBA All-Star weekend is loaded with glitz and glamour, but there is a layer of substance tucked away behind all the razzmatazz.
From giving back to underprivileged communities and highlighting young overseas basketball talent, the All-Star weekend sees a range of commendable off-the-field activities.
The NBA’s marquee event of the season gives players, both past and present, the chance to contribute to society through the NBA Cares initiative. This could be through raising funds, or by investing time and effort in the charity events held across the host city.
A day before the start of the All-Star festivities, stars like Kyrie Irving, John Wall and Draymond Green, along with legends Detlef Schremph and NBA Cares ambassador Dikembe Mutombo, spent a good part of their day with young patients at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.
On the morning of the celebrity game, Phoenix Suns player Devin Booker helped volunteers at the Baby2Baby centre pack backpacks with school supplies and clothes for children. Baby2Baby is a non-profit organisation that provides basic necessities to children.
Slam-Dunk Trophy contestant Larry Nance Jr. working with volunteers
“I can empathise with these kids. It feels great to spend time here and see a smile on their faces. We, as players, are fortunate to have a good life, so it is important for us to give back to the community,” Booker said. The shooting guard used some of the goodwill generated at the event to claim the three-point contest title a day later!
Miami Heat pro Wayne Ellington, who entered the event a few minutes later, warmly embraced Booker. “As a parent, I feel strongly about the cause," Ellington said.
Booker and Ellington were assisted by fellow NBA professionals Kevin Love and Larry Nance Jr., while the others helped build a playground at the Thomas Jefferson Elementary School (Compton), with non-profit organisation ‘KaBOOM!’. Volunteers also visited the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank to assemble and distribute food kits to senior citizens in need.
Basketball Without Borders
Another popular sidelight is the Basketball Without Borders (BWB), a global basketball development programme organised by NBA and FIBA. A total of 65 boys and girls, from 36 countries, travelled to Los Angeles for the fourth annual BWB Global Camp. The camp, with sportswear major Nike as the official partner, was held at the Los Angeles Lakers' practice facility.
Five-time NBA All-Star Al Horford, 2018 All-Star Goran Dragic and women’s basketball Hall of Fame members Jennifer Azzi and Ann Meyers-Dyrsdale were some of the big names who took up coaching roles at the camp. During the three-day camp, the young hoopsters were trained in technical aspects like movement efficiency, positional skills, shooting form and others areas.
The teenagers then competed in 5-on-5 games. A good show in the BWB can serve as a launch pad with the NBA scouts scanning for outstanding talent. Thon Maker (Milwaukee Bucks, South Sudan), Luari Markkanen (Chicago Bulls, Finland) and Jamal Murray (Denver Nuggets, Canada) are three of the 24 former BWB campers who feature in NBA teams this season.
Seattle Supersonics legend Gary Payton, nicknamed ‘The Glove’, addressed the eager boys and girls at the end of the camp. Payton, who holds the Seattle franchise record for most points, steals and assists, emphasised the value of hard work and single-minded dedication to the sport. “Every single time I stepped on court, I felt I had something to prove. I worked hard every single night. I never said, ‘Oh my ankle hurts, so let me sit out’. I never missed practice because of a headache. I played through all these minor things. This is the attitude I kept throughout my 17-year career in the NBA, and now I’m a Hall of Famer,” said Payton, to wide applause.
Payton wanted the youngsters to "stay humble." “Some of you kids may think you have made it to the big time, but you have not. You haven’t even started. After you leave this camp, you must go back to the court. Don’t waste time playing pick-up games with your friends. Practice alone – that’s the only way to fix your weaknesses.”
Indian presence
Two boys from India, Sejin Mathew and Princepal Singh, were picked for the BWB. India under-16 girls' team centre Pushpa Senthil Kumar could not, however, make it to the BWB due to visa issues.
NBA India Senior Manager (Basketball Operations) Marc Pulles, who accompanied Sejin and Princepal to Los Angeles, said, “The BWB is a learning experience. Talking to NBA coaches and guys like Payton helps you understand all the little things involved in playing basketball. In India, we want to ensure that we take the sport to all corners of the country so that we get a big pool of players. Of course, the best talent at our NBA India Academy will rise to the top. There is a marked improvement in those who trained at our academy over the past year,” Pulles said.
(The writer is in Los Angeles at the invitation of NBA and Sony Six).
