Chris Paul, Gasol Brothers Headline 1st NBA Africa Game
NEW YORK (AP/CBSLA.com) — Gregg Popovich will coach Team Africa with captain Luol Deng, while brothers Pau and Marc Gasol will play for Team World in the NBA's first game in Africa.
Popovich, the five-time champion from the San Antonio Spurs, will guide Team Africa in the Aug. 1 game in Johannesburg, the league announced Thursday. He will be assisted on the bench by Atlanta's Mike Budenholzer, the NBA Coach of the Year and his former assistant with the Spurs, and Oklahoma City assistant Monty Williams.
Team World will be coached by Brooklyn's Lionel Hollins, with Boston's Brad Stevens as an assistant. Chris Paul of the Los Angeles Clippers will serve as captain.
More than 35 players from Africa have been on NBA rosters since Hakeem Olajuwon was drafted No. 1 by Houston in 1984.
The Spurs' R.C. Buford is the Team World general manager, while Brooklyn's Billy King and Toronto's Masai Ujiri will hold the position for Team Africa.
The game will be held after the NBA's Basketball Without Borders camp and televised live on ESPN.
Commissioner Adam Silver, NBA Global Ambassador Dikembe Mutombo of Congo and NBA Africa Ambassador Olajuwon of Nigeria also will participate in the event, which features clinics and other community service projects.
The game will be played in support of Boys & Girls Clubs of South Africa, SOS Children's Villages Association of South Africa and the Nelson Mandela Foundation.
"When I heard about the NBA Africa Game I jumped at the chance to participate," Pau Gasol said. "The continent of Africa has a special meaning for me through my foundation. I look forward to putting on a great show for the fans and taking part in activities in the local community."
Here are the players who will participate in the game
Team World: Chris Paul (Clippers), Bradley Beal (Wizards), Kenneth Faried (Nuggets), Marc Gasol (Grizzlies), Pau Gasol (Bulls), Jeff Green (Grizzlies), Marcus Smart (Celtics), Evan Turner (Celtics) and Nikola Vucevic (Magic)
Team Africa: Luol Deng (Heat, born in South Sudan), Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks, parents from Nigeria), Nicolas Batum (Hornets, Parent from Cameroon), Bismack Biyombo (Raptors, Democratic Republic of the Congo), Boris Diaw (Spurs, Parent from Senegal), Gorgui Dieng (Timberwolves, Senegal), Festus Ezeli (Warriors, Nigeria), Serge Ibaka (Thunder, Congo) and Luc Mbah a Moute (Kings, Cameroon).
The game will take place after the 13th annual Basketball Without Borders Africa, an outreach program that has reached thousands of children from over 30 African nations.
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