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SOUTH
AFRICAN AIRWAYS PARTNERS WITH THE NBA FOR
"BASKETBALL WITHOUT BOARDERS -
AFRICA"
 Fort
Lauderdale, FL: "So far it has exceeded my
expectations," said NBA player and Dallas Mavericks
Center Shawn Bradley of his first trip to South
Africa to participate in the NBA's Basketball
Without Borders program.
Held
recently in Johannesburg in September, Basketball
Without Borders offered 100 young athletes (ages 16
&endash; 20) from more than 20 African countries
the opportunity to learn, play and practice with
the pros, as well as attend daily seminars on
leadership, healthy living, and drug abuse
education and prevention. The camp uses basketball
as an international language to bring young people
from all walks of life together to promote global
friendship, sportsmanship and education through
sport.
South
African Airways, South Africa's flagship airline,
was a leading sponsor of the event, flying a
contingent of current and former NBA players to
South Africa including Bradley, NBA Hall of Fame
legend Bob Lanier, Houston Rockets center Dikembe
Mutombo (Congo) and players and coaching personnel
from 10 different NBA teams who served as coaches
for the event. Some other participants
included San Antonio Spurs teammates Ruben Boumtje
Boumtje (Cameroon) and Malik Rose, DeSagana Diop
(Senegal) of the Cleveland Cavaliers, and Zach
Randolph of the Portland
Trailblazers.
"SAA's
new lie-flat Business Class bed is the longest of
its kind, but I have to guess that Shawn Bradley's
feet still hung off the footrest a bit," laughed
Roberto Cuesta SAA's Vice President of Marketing
for North America in reference to flying the
seven-foot-seven-inch tall center. "Basketball
Without Borders is a fun program, and at the same
time an incredible vehicle for goodwill, outreach
and cultural exchange. At SAA we are proud to be
involved in the camp's mission in Africa and to
bring the coaches, players and campers to
experience the wonders of South Africa".
In
addition to flying the players, South African
Airways also transported all of the uniforms and
gear for the Basketball Without Borders campers,
including jerseys, shorts, socks, shoes, t-shirts,
hats, basketballs and sports equipment.
The
airline also assisted the NBA in local outreach
efforts by flying in more than 200 boxes of
charitable items for community programs including
blankets, pillows, school supplies, and more than
5,000 books, CD's and magazines for learning
centers in South Africa. Donations were made to the
Soweto Kliptown Youth (SKY) Trust, and the Ithuteng
Trust in Pimville, a school, orphanage, and youth
empowerment program for children from
poverty-stricken families.
NBA
ambassador Bob Lanier credited teamwork between
players, coaches, sponsors for Basketball Without
Borders' success. "This program shows us the impact
we can have when we use our talents and our sphere
of influence to help others," said Lanier. "With
the help of our sponsors we can grow that sphere
and reach out on a larger scale." Lanier explained
that basketball can give youth a vehicle to grow
and enrich their lives, so that they in turn, go
back and help to enrich the lives of others in
their community. "It's a spirit of giving that goes
on and on," said Lanier. "If we can continue to
expand our efforts on a global basis we can help to
make the world a better place."
Many
of the NBA players and coaches also decided to
extend their time in South Africa to experience the
country's wildlife and natural wonders, including
traveling to the Cape of Good Hope and journeying
into the bush for a safari.
"It's
incredible. It's hard to put into words," said
Shawn Bradley in recalling his time in Africa.
"There are so many things we experienced that we
will never forget. It was a great feeling and a
wonderful opportunity."
South
African Airways actively supports a number of
charitable causes and events in South Africa, the
United States and throughout the world.
The
only airline to provide direct flights from the
U.S. to South Africa, SAA features daily departures
from New York and Atlanta that couple travel
convenience with award-winning service excellence.
The airline features a young fleet enhanced by new
Airbus aircraft featuring the latest in airline
comfort and entertainment options, as well as a
style of service and warm hospitality that is
proudly South African. The airline's new Premium
Business Class is among the most luxurious in the
skies and offers 24-inch-wide, fully lie-flat beds,
and unparalleled service and entertainment. For
more information on South African Airways, please
call 800-722-9675 or visit www.flysaa.com.
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