When DeSagana rang us from Johannesburg, the sun was setting and he was chilling in his hotel room with Portland's Zach Randolph ...

DeSagana Diop: Right now, I'm just laying here, watching TV. It gets dark early here. It gets dark around 6 o'clock. And it's cold right now!

I'm always in my room; I don't do anything here. I'll be back in Cleveland late on Saturday, but I won't be back in the gym until Monday or Tuesday. Besides the camp and clinic, I'm just resting here. I don't get any rest back in Cleveland.

First I flew into Senegal. It's a seven hour flight from New York to Senegal, my home. But from Senegal to Johannesburg, it's an 8 1/2 hour flight! I got here on Monday afternoon. I had so much fun in Senegal. I didn't want to leave for nothing! I got a good home-cooked meal every day. My mom cooked for me every day. She made my favorite meal, rice and fish.

We had a session with all of the sponsorship people. Yesterday we went to the camp and we were doing drills for the kids. They were just watching. We did that for like three hours. In the afternoon we went and read for the kids. We did a Read to Achieve event for them.

I met Nelson Mandela this morning! I took like a hundred photos. It was so cool. That was the best thing. That's one of the best things I've ever done in my life! I met the Man! I didn't say much to him. We just met him and said thank you for letting us come to this country and talk to the children.

The camp was good. There were a lot of kids -- mostly 12- and 13-year-olds for the clinic and 15- and 16-year-olds at the camp. Afterwards, we did some shooting and we rebounded for the kids.

We also had a seminar for HIV/AIDS awareness. I didn't talk. (I never talk!) Dikembe (Mutombo) did most of the talking. I hung out with the kids. He told the kids to take the test. And how to prevent themselves from getting it. He told them how to live with AIDS if they do have it.

Hopefully, I will talk to you tomorrow.

I miss y'all.

DeSagana