HoopsHype.com Rumors

Milwaukee Bucks forward Luc Richard Mbah a Moute remembers the NBA as a faraway place. Making it a reality hardly seemed possible. "The closest I got to the NBA was getting up at 3 a.m. to watch games on TV," said Mbah a Moute, who grew up with five brothers and three sisters in Cameroon. "When I came to this camp and met Dikembe Mutombo, it was a dream come true. Not only could you see it, but feel it and live it." Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

Milwaukee Bucks, Dikembe Mutombo, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, South Africa 

Mbah a Moute was a camper in the NBA's inaugural Basketball Without Borders Africa camp in 2003. Now he has returned to the camp in Johannesburg, South Africa, to serve as a counselor for the third time. "The one question I get asked is what's up after this camp for them," Mbah a Moute said of the 60 young African players taking part in the program. "The most important thing they learn at this camp is not about basketball. It's about life skills." Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

Milwaukee Bucks, Dikembe Mutombo, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, South Africa 

Cole Aldrich On his summer plans: It’s going to be a short, short summer, but we’re going to do Basketball Without Borders in South Africa coming up. I think Serge (Ibaka) and Thabo (Sefolosha) might make it out to South Africa. That’s going to be a huge blessing for us, to see that part of the world and Serge is from that area, so hopefully he can touch on some things. Some things that I’ve never seen in my life and some real life-changing experiences. It’s going to be so much fun but it’s going to be a lot of hard work this summer too though. It’ll be a lot of time in the gym, in the weight room and just working to get better. NBA.com

Oklahoma City Thunder, Cole Aldrich, Serge Ibaka, Thabo Sefolosha, South Africa 

At the same time Sport and Recreation Minister Fikile Mbalula has also roped in the South African embassy in the US to facilitate the development of various programmes with the NBA. Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool has also been asked to oversee the process of establishing a joint task team with the leadership of the NBA. This comes after Mbalula visited Orlando, US, last week to watch the All Stars fiesta, which also included a series of meetings with the NBA. "The joint task team, will finalise the agreements on possible exchange programmes and expansion of basketball in South Africa," said Mbalula's spokesman Paena Galane. "During the visit to the US, Mbalula also met with Reverend Jesse Jackson to lobby him to help us in ensuring this process with the NBA becomes successful. Sowetan Live

Jesse Jackson, South Africa