kolko
07-03-2005, 01:21 AM
Ginobili spreading the word: Manu spurring interest in basketball around the world
Link (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA070305.1C.BKNspurs.ginobili.2e3fc4a4.html)
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — The crowd gathering in front of Benjamin Zorrilla Escuela No. 4 Saturday afternoon had come for a glimpse of Manu Ginobili. To see him perform the most routine of feats, to walk off a bus and back on.
By the time Ginobili arrived, the throng had swelled to more than 200 strong. Men, women and children. All of them singing.
Olé, olé, olé. ... Manu. ... Manu! Olé, olé, olé. ... Manu. ... Manu!
Another day, another hero's welcome. With Manu Mania continuing to sweep Argentina, Ginobili and the NBA have done their best to capitalize on his swift rise in popularity, using it to spur interest in basketball, as well as the league's community outreach programs.
On Saturday, Ginobili and the five other NBA players participating in Basketball Without Borders Americas — Detroit's Carlos Delfino, Chicago's Andres Nocioni, Milwaukee's Daniel Santiago, Philadelphia free agent Samuel Dalembert and Houston free agent Dikembe Mutombo — helped dedicate a reading center the league built at one of the city's poorer elementary schools. A day earlier, they visited sick children at a low-income hospital.
"We know kids are always in awe of us," Ginobili said. "Basketball is an excuse to do wonderful things for the city."
Basketball, however, is still the main emphasis of Basketball Without Borders. The NBA and FIBA, the international basketball governing body, have worked together to put on the camps, which attract many of the top teenage international players.
NBA players and coaches work with the players, who also attend life-skills classes. UNICEF has partnered with the league to use the camps as a way to raise awareness for social issues, like the spread of HIV. The International Olympic Committee also has expressed interest in getting involved.
"I wish all players would spend two years doing things like this, to see how much influence we have on somebody's lives," said Mutombo, who has been heavily involved with the event the past two years. "We are bringing a lot of inspiration."
Now in its fifth year, Basketball Without Borders has expanded to four continents: South America (Argentina), Europe (Italy), Asia (China) and Africa (South Africa). Fifty-four players from 13 different Latin American and Caribbean countries are participating in the Americas event.
The talent is good enough to attract a handful of NBA scouts.
"Teaming up with FIBA has really helped because between the junior coaches and NBA scouts we really know who the best young players are in each continent," said Kim Bohuny, who has spearheaded the program's development as the NBA's vice president of international basketball operations. "Most NBA teams feel our camps have the best talent now."
The Spurs have become actively involved in the program. Coach Gregg Popovich arrived in Buenos Aires on Saturday to join Ginobili and Spurs director of player development Brett Brown at the camp. Tony Parker, having already worked the European camp two years ago, will attend Basketball Without Borders Asia in Beijing on July 14.
Spurs general manager R.C. Buford and scouting director Lance Blanks will serve as camp directors for the South African program in September. Buford adopted one of the players, Alexis Mang-Ikri Wangmene, at last year's camp in Johannesburg, South Africa. Former Spurs forward Malik Rose, who attended the African camp last summer, has asked to work next year's Americas event.
"When NBA players come over, that really impresses the young kids and makes them want to come out and participate," Popovich said. "More kids get exposed to basketball and I think that helps it spread."
With Argentina having dethroned Team USA at last summer's Olympics, U.S. players might be more in need of coaching than their foreign peers.
"A lot of the NBA coaches have said we need this camp in our country, especially for the focus on fundamentals," Bohuny said. "We are discussing the issue, whether it be strictly a U.S. camp or a global camp."
Ginobili and his Argentine teammates didn't have the benefit of attending an NBA-sponsored program during their youth. Their only experience with the league came from watching a weekly game on TV or Michael Jordan highlight tapes.
Said Delfino: "I dreamed of having something like this."
Link (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA070305.1C.BKNspurs.ginobili.2e3fc4a4.html)
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — The crowd gathering in front of Benjamin Zorrilla Escuela No. 4 Saturday afternoon had come for a glimpse of Manu Ginobili. To see him perform the most routine of feats, to walk off a bus and back on.
By the time Ginobili arrived, the throng had swelled to more than 200 strong. Men, women and children. All of them singing.
Olé, olé, olé. ... Manu. ... Manu! Olé, olé, olé. ... Manu. ... Manu!
Another day, another hero's welcome. With Manu Mania continuing to sweep Argentina, Ginobili and the NBA have done their best to capitalize on his swift rise in popularity, using it to spur interest in basketball, as well as the league's community outreach programs.
On Saturday, Ginobili and the five other NBA players participating in Basketball Without Borders Americas — Detroit's Carlos Delfino, Chicago's Andres Nocioni, Milwaukee's Daniel Santiago, Philadelphia free agent Samuel Dalembert and Houston free agent Dikembe Mutombo — helped dedicate a reading center the league built at one of the city's poorer elementary schools. A day earlier, they visited sick children at a low-income hospital.
"We know kids are always in awe of us," Ginobili said. "Basketball is an excuse to do wonderful things for the city."
Basketball, however, is still the main emphasis of Basketball Without Borders. The NBA and FIBA, the international basketball governing body, have worked together to put on the camps, which attract many of the top teenage international players.
NBA players and coaches work with the players, who also attend life-skills classes. UNICEF has partnered with the league to use the camps as a way to raise awareness for social issues, like the spread of HIV. The International Olympic Committee also has expressed interest in getting involved.
"I wish all players would spend two years doing things like this, to see how much influence we have on somebody's lives," said Mutombo, who has been heavily involved with the event the past two years. "We are bringing a lot of inspiration."
Now in its fifth year, Basketball Without Borders has expanded to four continents: South America (Argentina), Europe (Italy), Asia (China) and Africa (South Africa). Fifty-four players from 13 different Latin American and Caribbean countries are participating in the Americas event.
The talent is good enough to attract a handful of NBA scouts.
"Teaming up with FIBA has really helped because between the junior coaches and NBA scouts we really know who the best young players are in each continent," said Kim Bohuny, who has spearheaded the program's development as the NBA's vice president of international basketball operations. "Most NBA teams feel our camps have the best talent now."
The Spurs have become actively involved in the program. Coach Gregg Popovich arrived in Buenos Aires on Saturday to join Ginobili and Spurs director of player development Brett Brown at the camp. Tony Parker, having already worked the European camp two years ago, will attend Basketball Without Borders Asia in Beijing on July 14.
Spurs general manager R.C. Buford and scouting director Lance Blanks will serve as camp directors for the South African program in September. Buford adopted one of the players, Alexis Mang-Ikri Wangmene, at last year's camp in Johannesburg, South Africa. Former Spurs forward Malik Rose, who attended the African camp last summer, has asked to work next year's Americas event.
"When NBA players come over, that really impresses the young kids and makes them want to come out and participate," Popovich said. "More kids get exposed to basketball and I think that helps it spread."
With Argentina having dethroned Team USA at last summer's Olympics, U.S. players might be more in need of coaching than their foreign peers.
"A lot of the NBA coaches have said we need this camp in our country, especially for the focus on fundamentals," Bohuny said. "We are discussing the issue, whether it be strictly a U.S. camp or a global camp."
Ginobili and his Argentine teammates didn't have the benefit of attending an NBA-sponsored program during their youth. Their only experience with the league came from watching a weekly game on TV or Michael Jordan highlight tapes.
Said Delfino: "I dreamed of having something like this."