Mount Mutombo Visits India

So, the NBA really seems to be serious about expanding its presence in India: The nothing-less-than-legendary Dikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacques Wamutombo, or simply Dikembe Mutombo, that of 18 years of shot-blocking, finger-wagging, and asking pro-basketball's most titilating question, "Who wants to sex Mutombo?" is in India this week to unveil lead basketball court dedications in Mumbai and Chennai.

Two courts and an e-learning center will be unveiled on Dec. 9 at St. Dominic Savio High School and Boys Home in Mumbai. More than 1,500 children will benefit from the resurfaced courts and new basketball equipment. HP, TCS, and the NBA have provided St. Dominic Savio with resources to create a new e-learning center, which will be outfitted with networking and HP computers to provide the faculty new tools to improve teaching methods for its students.

The new courts in Mumbai will also host the Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA Hoop School Tournament of Mumbai on Dec. 12 and 13, featuring 25 local schools that were part of the program, which launched in November 2008.



On Dec. 11, a ground-breaking ceremony will be held at the YMCA College of Physical Education in Chennai. The new court and equipment will greatly enhance the training of the nearly 450 students studying to be physical education teachers at the YMCA. In addition, the computer lab at the school will be outfitted with networking and HP computers to provide the students the means to take their education beyond the classroom.

This is awesome news for all concerned. Mutombo, the Congoles-American who retired in April this year after 18 years in the NBA, in six differet teams (last for the Houstan Rockets), and was the oldest player in the NBA (42) prior to his retirement. He is the NBA's second-highest shot-blocker of all time, behind the great Hakeem Olajuwan. He is a global ambassador for the NBA and also a known humanitarian.

Thanks Deke, NBA, for making this happen - Basketball in India needs such efforts more than ever. Click here for the News recap on the Mumbai unveiling.