But many of the NBA players and coaches who have attended the Basketball without Borders program in Africa return year after year because they have found something special about the place and those who inhabit it.

"The first time I came here, the acceptance and the overall emotions that I had and the connections with the people, it was overwhelming," said veteran guard Jim Jackson, who has made the trip for the third straight year. "They have been great. I've stayed in contact with a lot of the people in the BWB program that live here.

"It's progressing every year, the things that we're able to do in the community. We're teaching more about life skills and what you can do on and off the court, reaching out, that's really why we're here. To be honest, basketball is probably the smallest part of it. But it's what brings us here.

"You've got a chance to help kids see a different side of basketball, the teaching aspect. Then you've got a fortunate few kids who are able to go onto a prep school in the United States or a college. You affect people's lives in a lot of different ways. You affect not only their lives, but their families' lives."

Having visited South Africa every year since 2003, Basketball without Borders is held at the American International School of Johannesburg. The program a basketball instructional camp that utilizes sport as a vehicle to influence positive social change, features dozens of current and former NBA players and team personnel as camp coaches for 100 young athletes (19 & under) from 21 African countries.

Bruce Bowen of the NBA champion San Antonio Spurs has returned after making his first visit last year.

"I wanted to come back because of that experience," Bowen said. "Anytime you get a chance to learn about history and things that have happened outside the U.S., it's beneficial. Especially for us as African-Americans. We want to have a sense of where we come from.

"To be able to visit a country like this, not necessarily because you had ancestors that you know of, but to see some of the same struggles we've had at home in a different context, it helps create bonds. You have to understand that there are struggles everywhere and we have to do our best to overcome those obstacles.

On his second trip, Bowen brought his wife and his aunt and uncle with him.

"It's a great opportunity," he said. "Things like this don't happen that often in life. I was able to get my uncle and aunt involved, so I'm sharing the wealth with them. They're teachers. My aunt is very much involved in the community in Fresno (Calif.). So this for her is something that much more special because now she sees it first hand, where before we were telling her about it and showing her videos."

Cleveland Cavaliers assistant coach Melvin Hunt attended the first Basketball without Borders in Africa back in 2003 and returned this year with his family, which included daughter Braya, 9 and son Miles, 6.

"I wanted to get them here to see it first-hand," Hunt said. "My daughter especially. She's a pretty sharp girl and I think this is a good experience for her.

"I want them to see all of the poor things. But I also want them to see the positives. This is a great time. We've introduced subjects like AIDs and all that in our home. This is a time to move into it a little more. Get them to understand that this is a worldwide problem, such a big issue. This is an opportunity for them to see that you've got to give all over the world.

Atlanta Hawk Josh Childress is making his first visit to Africa and is one of the youngest NBA players ever to take part in the camp.

"I just heard about how nice it was from Bruce Bowen, from other guys who've been here before," Childress said. "Obviously, me being African-American, I wanted to come over here and see Africa for myself. The apartheid museum was great. I learned a lot. This allows me to grow as a person."

Childress attended Basketball without Borders in China last summer.

"It's important to get out here and see the world," he said. "Living in the U.S., you get more of a closed view of the world. You kind of think that that's how it is all over. But everything is different. Cultures are different. I'm taking advantage of the opportunity see these cultures and maybe to help some people who really need it. It was also important for me to bring my mom. She really wanted to see Africa."

Dikembe Mutombo, the venerable Houston Rockets center is the unofficial NBA ambassador to Africa and his eyes lit up when he first saw the 24-year-old year-old Childress in Johannesburg.

"I saw Josh and I was shocked and so happy," said Mutombo, who has attended the Africa camp every year and also traveled to South America with Basketball without Borders. "We're starting to get them younger and younger.

"In the beginning, it was only guys who had been in the league for 10 years, who had an understanding of the game and understand what it means to be part of the bigger world, part of the community. But now we see these guys who are really, really young and just getting into the league and they are climbing right on. That's a change in the league that brings a lot more happiness to us. This is the kind of change I want to see. They are building on this legacy that we have set."

Retired guard Steve Smith is attending his first BWB-Africa camp as a coach.

"Finally," he said. "I think when you're little, you always want a chance to come to Africa. As I got older, got a chance to read about things, I've been trying to come for the last couple of years. But it never worked out because of scheduling. My wife and I wish we would have come earlier, because so far this has already been a great experience."

Smith, who has already been to China this summer to help run another camp, is a believer in the Basketball without Borders program for the exchange of ideas that takes place.

"It's eye-opening," he said. The culture, what they see and how they view us. You try to give some of your knowledge to them. But in China, I got a chance to learn from some of the kids. One kid said, 'Why don't Americans take the game as seriously as they used to?' I asked, 'Why do you say that?' And he said, 'Because it's an opportunity that I think they're missing out on.' For me that was a learning experience. It's coming from a kid who was probably 10 or 11 years old. Now I want to hear the impressions of African kids. I want to see the style of Africa that they bring to the game and to life. This is my first trip here. I'm sure it won't be my last."

The 41-year-old Mutombo sees the interest and the warmth in the NBA players to return to Africa and smiles like a proud father.

"For so long, not many players wanted to come here," he said. "It was always difficult for me to convince some to make the trip, to make the effort. To look around now and see this, it brings joy to my heart and tears to my eyes."