NBA SPOTLIGHT: VICTOR OLADIPO

Basketball season  has started up again and my one thought has been

SPOTLIGHT: NNEKA OGWUMIKE

I really love basketball and I really like the Lakers so you can imagine my mood was I write this, but it's not all bad since there is another LA team that's performing well. No, its not the Clippers,but the Los Angeles Sparks.

THROWBACK THURSDAY: DIKEMBE MUTOMBO

Dikembe Mutomobo is one of the most well known African basketball players to have ever played the game. We're just proud that he represented for the Congo! He was such a dominant player, and his signature finger wag after a blocked shot is priceless. How great was his GEICO commercial? "NOT IN MY HOUSE!" Ha. 

SPORTS: NBA PLAYOFFS 2013 ROUND 1

First round of the playoffs are officially over. A few of our fave Africans are out (see full list here), but we still have some left so we're happy! Unfortunately, there are no longer any Los Angeles teams, so DJ & I are pretty upset and are in mourning. Take a look. 






-ASHA

SPORTS: NBA PLAYOFFS 2013

The playoffs are officially underway. Even though we're rooting for our LA teams, (Go Lakeshow! Clippernation!), we proudly rep and support all of the Africans that are in the playoffs. 

WEST

Steve Nash 
Los Angeles Lakers
South Africa 

Festus Ezeli
Golden State Warriors
Nigeria 

Hasheem Thabeet
Oklahoma City Thunder
Tanzania

Serge Ibaka
Oklahoma City Thunder
Congo

Thabo Sefolosha
Oklahoma City Thunder
South Africa 

Boris Diaw
San Antonio Spurs
Senegal 

Andre Iguodala
Denver Nuggets
Nigeria

AFRICAN MARTIAL ARTS

When people think of Africa, the last thing that comes to mind is martial arts. However, Africa is actually home to many different martial art styles,and the one that I found to be most  interesting is Dambe. Dambe is a Nigerian martial art that resembles boxing, but with one caveat: the fighters wrap one hand with rope, and just box using that hand. What is really interesting is that the arm of the hand that isn't wrapped, is used to keep your opponent in reach.

SPORTS SUNDAY: BASKETBALL

Asha and DJ discuss the basketball season so far, including trades, the All Star Game, playoffs and finals predictions. Enjoy!

SPOTLIGHT: SERGE IBAKA

Serge Ibaka is a terrific player. I know, I know I'm late on this. 

Serge plays for the Oklahoma City Thunder and is averaging 14.3 ppg, 8.4 rebounds and 2.8 blocks. The stats don't do him justice; he plays with such energy and passion that it always makes watching the Thunder play exciting. Did I mention that he's Congolese? Add that to the long list of reasons why I like Serge. 

Now, all he needs to do is ditch Oklahoma and put on the purple and gold...then he'd be a real star.

-DJ

GUESS...WHO'S AFRICAN?

Steve Nash of the Los Angeles Lakers is from Johannesburg, South Africa. Yeah...let that sit with you for a moment. Nash is a two-time MVP, an eight-time All-Star, and a 90% free throw shooter.
I always liked Steve Nash as a player, but with him being on my team and being African, I might be rooting a little bit harder...OK a lot harder.

-DJ

GUESS...WHO'S AFRICAN?

Joakim Noah of the Chicago Bulls is African...yes, I'm just as surprised as you are. I was under the assumption that there was a one-African-per-NBA-team rule. Noah owes his African roots to his grandfather, Zacharie Noah, a Cameroonian football (soccer) player, who won the Coupe de France. 

Besides the fact that he's African, and that he plays in the NBA, another reason I thoroughly enjoy Joakim Noah is because he is pure comedy. Don't believe me? Check out this snippet of the Chicago Bulls' starting center after a loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers:

-DJ

SPOTLIGHT: OPPOSITE FIELD

There are a lot of things Africa is known for. Good food. Great music. A rich culture. Baseball...baseball? Okay, maybe not so much, but, if the players from the Rev. John Foundation Little League Team of Uganda  have their way, that'll all change.

SPORTS SUNDAY: BASKETBALL

Asha and DJ's take on the upcoming basketball season and their picks of the week. Enjoy!

THROWBACK THURSDAY: RUMBLE IN THE JUNGLE

The Ali vs. Foreman fight is considered one of the greatest events in sports history. It's also one of the greatest events in Congolese history. One of the most poignant moments during the fight was when the crowd started chanting " Ali Bomaye!", which is Lingala for "Ali, kill him!". This phrase became a cultural phenomenon and  even spawned a song.