Superstars shine in NBA thriller

Top class action from an exhibition NA game, a first on African soil, kept a packed Ellis Park Arena enthralled on Saturday.

Top class action from an exhibition NA game, a first on African soil, kept a packed Ellis Park Arena enthralled on Saturday.

Published Aug 2, 2015

Share

Ellis Park Arena – The moment arrived midway through the second quarter. From the dressing room still clad in tracksuits emerged Dikembe Mutombo and Hakeem “The Dream” Olajuwon. Pretending they were still in their 20s they whipped off their tracksuits, and for a second everyone inside this arena was transported back to 1995.

Mutombo in his old rainbow striped Denver Nuggets top – the first team he played for in the NBA – and Olajuwon in the famous No34 of the Houston Rockets stepped onto court to the most rousing standing ovation. There may even have been a few tears. Festus Ezeli, Nigeria-born and playing for Team Africa for whom Olajuwon was a hero, still couldn’t believe his eyes, even though he’d known beforehand the pair would be playing.

“I was so excited man, look at those guys, they could move too,” a smiling Ezeli, who was a part of last season’s NBA championship team, the Golden State Warriors, exclaimed. “Hakeem has still got some moves man, I would love to have him sign for any team I’m on.”

Olajuwon and Mutombo perhaps more than any others have been the driving force behind basketball’s increasing popularity throughout Africa. Playing in an NBA game – albeit an exhibition one – on African soil was a moment for them, their fellow players and the large crowd to savour.

The fans could scarcely believe what they were seeing. Though a combined age of 101 – Mutombo turned 49 last month and Olajuwon is 52 – they managed their way up and down the court effectively for the five or so minutes they played. They were certainly a few steps slower than in their heyday but that didn’t mean the competitive fires had stopped burning. Mutombo and Trey Burke engaged in some “trashing talking” (or sledging) after the latter felt he’d been fouled by the giant Congolese.

It was left to Olajuwon to provide the highlight of the game for the Africa team. First he blocked a Bradley Beal shot, then he provided a glimpse of the Olajuwon that helped the Houston Rockets win two NBA titles in the mid-1990s.

It may not have been a full “Dream Shake” as Rockets fans called it, but Olajuwon, looking more 22 than 52 for a few seconds, nudged aside Nikola Vucevic, then spun away and threw in a two-pointer that got this packed arena on its feet.

It had taken the crowd – many of whom sported tops honouring their heroes, like Lebron James, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal – a while to warm up to the event. The mascots were fun, dancing, jiving and tossing T-shirts into the crowd.

For a first time event, yesterday’s NBA Africa Game, eventually won 101-97 by the World team has to be classified as a success. Watching from afar, Manchester City and Ivory Coast superstar Yaya Toure tweeted: “Maybe we can organise a @premierleague African Allstar game in Africa soon? I would love to be part of that! ?? #NBAAfricaGame.”

It was an occasion to remember and one that deserves to be repeated in the future.

Related Topics: