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Legends jazz up basketball in Jakarta
As part of the United States Sports Envoy Program, NBA and WNBA veterans Sam “Big Smooth” Perkins and Sue Wicks gathered with Indonesian basketball figures in a Monday coaching clinic session for some 50 teenagers from around the capital
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s part of the United States Sports Envoy Program, NBA and WNBA veterans Sam “Big Smooth” Perkins and Sue Wicks gathered with Indonesian basketball figures in a Monday coaching clinic session for some 50 teenagers from around the capital.
Perkins, 48, played for the Dallas Mavericks, LA Lakers, Seattle Supersonics and the Indiana Pacers during his 17-year career in the NBA in the 1980s, while the New York WNBA legend Wicks, 43, played professionally for 15 years in Italy, Japan, Spain and Israel.
The two basketball veterans will also host a coaching clinic in Medan, North Sumatra, on Wednesday.
It is their first visit to Indonesia under the US-sponsored program, which last year also brought Danny Granger, the Indiana Pacers’ small forward, who was named as the most improved player for the 2008-2009 NBA season.
“[Basketball] is a uniquely American game, which is also popular here. So, there is a shared value of commonality between the US and Indonesia in this game,” public diplomacy officer at the US Embassy Tristram Perry said on the sideline of the coaching session, which was participated in by five Jakarta orphanages.
“I believe this kind of coaching clinic program is a good thing to raise basketball’s popularity,” said a top player of the Pelita Jaya Esia basketball club, Andi Poedjakesuma who participated in the coaching clinic session at the US Embassy on Monday.
Although basketball is an enjoyable team-sport among school students in big cities like Jakarta, Andi lamented it was still less popular than soccer. While Indonesian soccer boasts few achievements, the country’s basketball players, represented by the SM Britama club snatched the runner-up title at the inaugural ASEAN Basketball League (ABL) last year.
Andi believes basketball will rise once again in the country with the growing support of coaching clinics and competitions.
“In the past three years, basketball competitions among high schoolers have been on the rise again,” said Andi, referring to the Development Basketball League (DBL) student competition, started in 2004.
According to DBL commissioner Azrul Ananda, this year, the student competition has spread to 21 cities nationwide with some 25,000 students participating.
As of Tuesday, Azrul will also be in charge as the commissioner for the newly launched National Basketball League (NBL) Indonesia, the new name of what was previously known as the Indonesia Basketball League (IBL).
“By refreshening the image of this professional competition, we hope to raise Indonesian basketball both at the grassroot level as well as in at the pro level. In that way, we will be able to encourage more competitions at intermediate levels, including clubs and university [leagues].”
Besides Perkins and Wicks, another current NBA player, yet to be named, is scheduled to appear at the NBA Madness event in Surabaya, East Java, in June.
“Hopefully, next time we can have a session with NBA star Kobe Bryant, or the legendary Michael Jordan,” said Andi.
Eneng, a participant from a Muslim orphanage in Kramat Raya, Central Jakarta, expressed similar hopes of meeting an idol of hers.
“I hope one day to meet Michael Jackson, oh no, Michael Jordan, I mean,” giggled the sport enthusiast, running back to her group for more practice with Perkins and Wicks.
