Raptors’ Ujiri at forefront of NBA’s endeavours into Africa
Masai Ujiri recalls playing soccer growing up in Nigeria, using two stones as goalposts at the back of his house, in gardens and on the side of roads. Basketball isn’t that easy. Now general manager of the Toronto Raptors, Ujiri is on the leading edge of the NBA’s endeavour into Africa, which makes a momentous step Saturday with an exhibition game in South Africa. Ujiri hopes the star-studded NBA Africa Game pushes more kids to play basketball at a younger age.
“This will continue to bring out and expose more young players, give them more opportunity,’’ Ujiri said on a conference call Thursday from South Africa. “What’s going to come
P about this will be I think development of more clinics, more camps. The game is played, more competition, more youth competition, and then you start going into facilities, infrastructure here, building courts. To me, it continues to grow.’’
“This will continue to bring out and expose more young players, give them more opportunity.’’ Masai Ujiri
Homegrown talent already in the NBA will be showcased in the game. The Raptors’ Bismack Biyombo, Miami Heat’s Luol Deng and Oklahoma City Thunder’s Serge Ibaka will play for Team Africa.
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Clippers’ Chris Paul, Chicago Bulls’ Pau Gasol, Memphis Grizzlies’ Marc Gasol and Washington Wizards’ Bradley Beal are among those on Team World.
Biyombo knows it’s special for fans to be able to see stars up- close after watching NBA games infrequently in Democratic Republic of the Congo when someone had taped them. He hopes that his journey to the pros and this game serves as motivation for kids there to play at a younger age.
The NBA Africa Game is evidence enough that good players come from the continent, and an African-born player has been selected in the top 10 in each of the past two drafts. The issue, Biyombo said, is that too many kids aren’t exposed to basketball until they’re teenagers.
Injured Philadelphia 76ers centre Joel Embiid is one of those players. He played volleyball growing up, started basketball at 15, played at Kansas and went third in the 2014 draft.
“It’s like we all have the problem: We started playing basketball late, and obviously we’re trying to change that by building basketball courts,’’ Biyombo said. “The potential is here and now we’re all trying to make sure that kids can start basketball at an earlier age and obviously give them the edge.’’