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NBA Legends excited to be in Manila
by rick olivares
by rick olivares
Vlade Divac was feeling right at home. All seven foot one of him. “You can say that it’s like a homecoming,” he said without a trace of the heavily-accented English he first spoke when he broke in as a prodigious rookie with the Los Angeles Laker in 1991.
It was in Manila where Yugoslavia won the 1978 World Championship against the former Soviet Union 82-81 in overtime behind compatriots Kresimir Cosic, Dragan Kicanovic, and Drazen Dalipagic. “I was still young then but that was an important victory for my country and it got me and so many others into basketball,” he cheerily explained.
Now four and a half years after hanging up his sneakers, he is an ambassador for the NBA and the sport. Divac joins fellow legends Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Dominique Wilkins, Robert Horry, and Tim Hardaway in the largest ever NBA event in Asia, the 2009 NBA Asia Challenge, where they team up with Development League players in an exhibition match against past and present Philippine Basketball Association legends. Also on hand for the festivities at the New Jersey Nets Dunking Divas with Fil-Am cheerleader Cecilia and club mascot Sly the Silver Fox. Game time is on Friday September 11 at 7:30 pm at the Araneta Coliseum.
When Divac planed in last night from South Korea with the NBA contingent, there was a familiar face to greet him. It was Smart Gilas Pilipinas Head Coach Rajko Toroman who was an assistant coach on the last unified Yugoslavian squad that featured the likes of Toni Kukoc, Dino Radja, Drazen Petrovic, and Sasha Danilovic. “When you have a long flight, it’s always good to see a friendly face,” he smiled.
For Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, one of the game’s all-time greats, being in Manila again was something he looked forward to. “You hear so many good things about Filipinos and their passion for the sport. It’s been awhile so it’s good to see how far the country has grown and developed.”
Dominique Wilkins, the great Atlanta Hawk with one of the most colorful and unique sobriquets in “the Human Highlight Film” knows that age and the miles have caught up with him but he still hopes to show that he still has some game left in the tank. “I scored over 26,000 points in my career and I’ll tell you that not all of them came from dunks,” he said rather animatedly. “Like I always say, learn the fundamentals and the little things because these are some of the things that kids will need to become a great player. I took pride in the fact that I could do more than dunk a basketball.”
Wilkins also recounted that it was fun to suit up for the Orlando Magic and the Boston Celtics but he will always consider himself an Atlanta Hawk. “I played during a time when the Central Division was the toughest in the league. There was Detroit, Chicago, and Cleveland that had good teams. I didn’t have that All-Star back-up to take some of the load off me. But no regrets. I had a fun and great career and made some memorable shots.”
When asked by BUSINESS MIRROR who among the legends will take the last shot should the exhibition match go down to the wire, Legends team head coach Rory White, who also is in charge of the Dakota Wizards in the NBA D-League didn’t think twice, “When you have a man on your team called “Big Shot Rob” then you go to that weapon.”
PBA All-Stars Coach Yeng Guiao was brimming with excitement when asked what he felt about the upcoming exhibition game. “I grew up watching these players. What they did for the sport is something immeasurable. To be on the same court as them, well, when I get there I’m sure you will have to pinch me because I think this is all a dream. We hope that everyone has a good time.”
Arwind Santos, one of the PBA players who will be suiting up for the game was for once glad that people weren’t asking for his autograph or to pose with a picture with him. “It’s my turn,” he said, suddenly a starry-eyed fan who excused himself for a photo op with Horry.
When asked if he ever gets tired of being an ambassador for the game with the hectic schedule and constant travel, Divac admitted that it gets tiring because of the different time zones. “But when you step on the court… no matter what country you’re in; you know you're home.”
It was in Manila where Yugoslavia won the 1978 World Championship against the former Soviet Union 82-81 in overtime behind compatriots Kresimir Cosic, Dragan Kicanovic, and Drazen Dalipagic. “I was still young then but that was an important victory for my country and it got me and so many others into basketball,” he cheerily explained.
Now four and a half years after hanging up his sneakers, he is an ambassador for the NBA and the sport. Divac joins fellow legends Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Dominique Wilkins, Robert Horry, and Tim Hardaway in the largest ever NBA event in Asia, the 2009 NBA Asia Challenge, where they team up with Development League players in an exhibition match against past and present Philippine Basketball Association legends. Also on hand for the festivities at the New Jersey Nets Dunking Divas with Fil-Am cheerleader Cecilia and club mascot Sly the Silver Fox. Game time is on Friday September 11 at 7:30 pm at the Araneta Coliseum.
When Divac planed in last night from South Korea with the NBA contingent, there was a familiar face to greet him. It was Smart Gilas Pilipinas Head Coach Rajko Toroman who was an assistant coach on the last unified Yugoslavian squad that featured the likes of Toni Kukoc, Dino Radja, Drazen Petrovic, and Sasha Danilovic. “When you have a long flight, it’s always good to see a friendly face,” he smiled.
For Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, one of the game’s all-time greats, being in Manila again was something he looked forward to. “You hear so many good things about Filipinos and their passion for the sport. It’s been awhile so it’s good to see how far the country has grown and developed.”
Dominique Wilkins, the great Atlanta Hawk with one of the most colorful and unique sobriquets in “the Human Highlight Film” knows that age and the miles have caught up with him but he still hopes to show that he still has some game left in the tank. “I scored over 26,000 points in my career and I’ll tell you that not all of them came from dunks,” he said rather animatedly. “Like I always say, learn the fundamentals and the little things because these are some of the things that kids will need to become a great player. I took pride in the fact that I could do more than dunk a basketball.”
Wilkins also recounted that it was fun to suit up for the Orlando Magic and the Boston Celtics but he will always consider himself an Atlanta Hawk. “I played during a time when the Central Division was the toughest in the league. There was Detroit, Chicago, and Cleveland that had good teams. I didn’t have that All-Star back-up to take some of the load off me. But no regrets. I had a fun and great career and made some memorable shots.”
When asked by BUSINESS MIRROR who among the legends will take the last shot should the exhibition match go down to the wire, Legends team head coach Rory White, who also is in charge of the Dakota Wizards in the NBA D-League didn’t think twice, “When you have a man on your team called “Big Shot Rob” then you go to that weapon.”
PBA All-Stars Coach Yeng Guiao was brimming with excitement when asked what he felt about the upcoming exhibition game. “I grew up watching these players. What they did for the sport is something immeasurable. To be on the same court as them, well, when I get there I’m sure you will have to pinch me because I think this is all a dream. We hope that everyone has a good time.”
Arwind Santos, one of the PBA players who will be suiting up for the game was for once glad that people weren’t asking for his autograph or to pose with a picture with him. “It’s my turn,” he said, suddenly a starry-eyed fan who excused himself for a photo op with Horry.
When asked if he ever gets tired of being an ambassador for the game with the hectic schedule and constant travel, Divac admitted that it gets tiring because of the different time zones. “But when you step on the court… no matter what country you’re in; you know you're home.”
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