Based on information I’ve gathered from sources that include Forbes and Dime magazines, Nike’s World Basketball Festival was established in 2010 to serve as “an opportunity to celebrate the game we love and expose U.S. fans to more international talent.” That’s direct from one of Nike’s Media Relations Directors, by the way. Unbeknownst to me, Team USA’s recent scrimmage against Brazil was part of the DC leg of the 2012 festival, which also included contests, exhibits, streetball, and good food. The Festival will continue over the course of the summer with three more stops in London, Paris, and Barcelona.
I’d like to provide you with more information, but the website seems to have been deserted. What I can show you are these promotional videos recently uploaded to Youtube by Nike. They feature LA’s Pooh Jeter (currently playing in Spain’s ACB league, played 62 games for the Kings in ’10/11) and DC’s Baby Shaq (fixture of the AND1 Mixtape Tour, 2003 Goodman League MVP), and although they’re predictably-typical in regards to their content and composition (what professional ball player hasn’t been featured in a short clip about their struggle in the ‘hood?), I happen to find such videos inspirational, no matter how many times I see one. For those who feel the same, take a look at these two.
To borrow a famous phrase from Kings homer/commentator Grant Napear, if you don’t like that you don’t like NBA basketball.
I’d like to shout-out the person whose tweet brought these videos to my attention, but I can’t remember who it was. My apologies.
