Wilkins (right, with Brazilian basketball legend Oscar Schmidt)knows all about the globalization of the
league - he was once an international player himself. Today, Wilkins
serves as part of the management team for the Hawks and supports social
causes overseas. He also celebrates the NBA's international involvement
and growing fan base around the world. With 81 international players from
35 countries, the NBA has established its presence as a global league and
internationally renowned game.
NBA Latin America caught up with Gearon and Wilkins upon their arrival in Brazil and asked them a few questions about their support overseas:
NBALA: Why did you decide to support a charity organization in Brazil?
Michael Gearon: I have a telecommunications company in Brazil, American Tower, through which I have come to realize basketball’s incredible following in the country. I believe that this began years ago with Oscar Schmidt, and now continues to flourish with players like Nene, Barbosa, and Anderson Varejao – who just got drafted by Cleveland. Interestingly enough, these Brazilian fans also know who Dominique Wilkins is, which is why I decided to bring him to this charity event.
The organization supports Escola Vale dos Lírios, a school for underprivileged children in a "favela" in Săo Paulo. It promotes education and reading, and as part of our activities, we wanted these kids to have the chance to meet an NBA legend, which is why we brought Dominique. I also wanted to leverage his prestige to collect funds for the school and give these children a better future.
We are collecting funds via this event because these children and their families really need them. We have been supporting this school for several years now, and are thrilled that Dominique was able to take some time to travel down and help with this cause.
We plan to host many other events annually in Brazil, and with better planning, expect increasingly better results. We are also thinking of expanding to other countries in Latin America, such as in Mexico, next year.
NBALA: The NBA also supports several international communities across the world. In July, for example, we hosted “Basketball without Borders” in Rio de Janeiro. What do you think of the NBA supporting international social causes?
MG: I am very happy with the growth of the NBA and the sport of basketball internationally. Brazilians, for example, are familiar with the NBA's and Nene's initiatives, and everybody idolizes Oscar Schmidt. If you look at people such as Barbosa or Nene, you understand that this is a growing sport with potential for developing a great fan base in the country, which also has a great pool of talent that will impact the globalization of the NBA. In Latin America, you can see this growth everywhere like in Argentina with Ginobili and the gold medal in the Olympic Games.
NBALA: What are your first reactions upon arriving in Brazil?
Dominique Wilkins: This is my first time in Brazil, and so far it has been very good.
NBALA: What are your plans during your visit in Brazil?
DW: I have some events that I will be attending. One which is being organized by Michael Gearon, one of the owners of the NBA's Atlanta Hawks, who also has a company here in Brazil. Michael is promoting a charity entity here and it was a pleasure to accept his invite to participate. I’m always looking to do charity donations and other things of that sort in the United States as well as internationally.
NBALA: As an NBA star and a former international player in the league, what do you think of the global phenomenon the NBA is currently going through?
DW: I always knew that (the NBA) would be global. And I think that this is excellent for the sport of basketball, as we are reaching the entire world now.
NBALA: Who is your favorite Latin player currently in the NBA?
DW: I like Ginobili because he is an incredible player. He is a player that I call “freak of nature” because he can do so much with the basketball.
NBALA: What does it feel like to go from being a player to working on the management side of the NBA?
DW: I have always been preparing myself for that. For me it was great and I’m now enjoying this other side. It was a great change for me.
NBALA: You’re currently in Brazil, tell us your thoughts about the NBA beginning this season with five Brazilian players?
DW: It is true. I forgot about Nene, but I know him very well. I really enjoy his style as he is an aggressive player in the court, works hard, and is the kind of player that I would like to have on my team.
NBALA: What is your message to international fans?
DW: I’m very enthusiastic about international fans following NBA basketball. We always try to reach everybody. As you know, basketball is a global sport now, and that’s what we want – for fans all over the world to be connected to our sport. I believe that’s important.
