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AFTER a
monthlong whirligig, the National Basketball Association
(NBA) Madness 2008 wrapped up on Sunday at Glorietta,
amid awarding ceremonies, basketball clinics and
captivating dances, leaving behind happy memories of
NBA-style fun, challenges and celebrity appearances.
It’s the
closest we Pinoys can get to NBA action in this side of
the world, right? Right.
According to Carlo Singson, NBA senior manager for
markets, bringing over an NBA exhibition game to the
Philippines the way they do in Japan or China would be
truly, truly expensive. That’s why they bring the next
best thing under the circumstances : NBA celebrities and
NBA hoopla—courtesy of dance teams that give us a bit of
courtside glamour; NBA players that are rising, have
risen or ready to rise again; and team mascots that
tickle our funny bones and show us what great fun NBA
games could really be. And you know what? NBA Madness
was conceived for and was first born in the Philippines.
It’s the
longest-running, most consistent NBA activity going
around outside of the NBA arenas all over the States,
says Carlo. Blame that on the Pinoy’s consistently rabid
support of this game that isn’t even meant to be played
by shorties and average-size Joes like us. (But which we
persist in watching and playing, anyway.)
SO what
is NBA Madness? It’s the NBA’s interactive basketball
lifestyle event that’s chock full of basketball
activities where local cage fans can test their skills
in various on-court competitions: three-point shooting
contests; speed challenges where participants dribble,
pass and shoot, all in record time; and team
competitions where pairs try to outperform one another
by shooting the ball into the basket from various sides
of the court to accumulate the most points from premium
location shots.
It’s
slam-dunk competitions and free-throw conga lines
participated in by enthusiastic fans ranging from the
short to the tall, from the young to the feeling young.
It’s authentic NBA stuff like measure-ups where you
match your arm span against Yao Ming’s or Shaquille
O’Neal’s or Paul Pierce’s. Or your height against Le
Bron James’s.
Then
there are musical performances from bands you would
never have tied up with basketball before (River Maya
and K24/7 in the past, Project One just this year);
basketball clinics conducted by famous coaches and NBA
stars; and surprise appearances by Philippine Basketball
Association players and pep squads that get the crowd in
a tizzy.
THIS
year the celebrity guests were Malik Rose of the New
York Knicks, the Sacramento Kings Dance Team and a zany
mascot named Rufus Lynx, who probably has his Charlotte
Bobcats in stitches all the time.
This is
actually the seventh NBA Madness already, says Singson.
The early versions of Madness consisted mostly of fun
games and fun games alone. Then the NBA started to bring
in dance teams: the girls of the Golden State Warriors
in ‘03, then the Lakers Girls in ‘04, with the Larry
O’Brien trophy making its first appearance in the
Philippines, encased in glass. The NBA cast got more and
more interesting with each passing year. In ‘05, Laker
Luke Walton and Orlando Magic Dwight Howard came to
town, along with the Houston Rockets Power Dancers. This
set of girls even featured the UP Pep Squad in their
show.
In ‘06,
Slam Dunk wonder Andre Iguodala of the Philadelphia
76ers came with Channing Frye of the New York Knicks.
This time, NBA Madness climaxed in a celebrity
basketball game where bands played as the game was being
played, and basketball playing movie stars mixed it up
with one another on the court. Iguodala and Frye played
as captains of their respective star-studded teams and
got a taste firsthand of how star-struck and
basketball-crazy Filipino fans are. It was also the
first time the Madness brought in an NBA Mascot—Harry
the Hawk of the Atlanta Hawks.
Last
year, NBA Madness was a Mavs Invasion—with Dallas
Mavericks standout Jerry Stackhouse leading the fray
along with the Mavs Dancers and their slam-dunking,
somersaulting mascot named Mavs Man. The Larry O’Brien
trophy made its second appearance in town, as it was
reverently transported here by event sponsor DHL.
IN the
future, Singson said NBA Madness could take on new and
ever newer configurations. Maybe an NBA Legend could be
the featured star. Maybe the Madness can expand to Cebu,
Davao and other key cities.
Already,
the Madness that used to be held exclusively in the
Philippines has spawned other Madness events that go on
tour in other Asian countries. One thing’s sure,
however. The longest Madness celebration always happens
in this basketball-crazy land they call Filipinas.
It’s a
very important market for the NBA, says Carlo. “It’s the
No. 1 basketball country in the world!” |
