Tookes reflects on NBA All-Star Experience
By: Lance Snow
Updated: February 22, 2013
Houston,
Texas - Feb. 18, 2013 - 12 Special Olympics athletes from across the
world showed a standing-room only crowd at NBA Jam Session yesterday afternoon
the unifying power of sport as they demonstrated their basketball skills in a
Unified Sports game alongside NBA and WNBA players and legends. In a
competitive game that came down to the wire, Team West pulled together and came
up with a 55-54 win over Team East.
Led by Nick Van
Denburgh of Special Olympics Minnesota, Marinela Stefka and Ryan Higgins of
Special Olympics Texas, Steven Tookes of Special Olympics Louisiana and
international athletes Xue Mao of Special Olympics China and Massimiliano Priolo of Special Olympics Italy - Team West
(yellow jerseys) had a great attitude of teamwork as they played alongside
teammates NBA legends Dikembe Mutombo and Detlef Schrempf and WNBA players
Candice Wiggins and Ruth Riley. West coaches Kenneth Faried (Denver Nuggets) and Damian Lillard
(Portland Trail Blazers) were really impressed with their team's
performance.
"They were all
so passionate," said Faried. "They worked hard and escaped with a one-point
win. I'll tell you, it's really surprising but these guys can ball. They
absolutely can do what we do every day of our life. Did you see Nick (Van
Denburgh) throwing it down? He can dunk!"
The NBA Cares
Special Olympics Unified Sports basketball game took place at Jam Session Center
Court on Sunday afternoon, prior to the 62nd NBA All-Star Game. Before the game got underway Special
Olympics ambassadors Yao Ming and Dikembe Mutumbo joined representatives from
Special Olympics Founding Partner The Coca-Cola Company and NBA Cares for a
$50,000 donation check presentation. NBA Commissioner David Stern also greeted all of the
Special Olympics athletes before Philadelphia 76er and NBA All-Star Jrue Holiday initiated
the ceremonial ball tip.
Team East
(red jerseys) was coached by Harrison Barnes (Golden State Warriors) and Andre Drummond
(Detroit Pistons) and included a roster of Special Olympics athletes Krystle
Bailey of North Carolina, Abigail Johnson of Indiana, Michael Reed of New Jersey
and international athletes Jose Benitez of Puerto Rico, Jian Gong of China and
Morne Reyeke of Namibia with teammates NBA legends Chris Mullin and Ron
Harper and WNBA player Nicole Powell and legend Ticha Penicheiro. Special
Olympics Puerto Rico athlete Jose Benitez even landed a shot over the towering
Dikembe Mutumbo, one of the all-time NBA leaders in
blocks.
"What a game," said Mutumbo. "There were so many
basketball players on this court better than me! These Special Olympics athletes
come from all over the world and no matter their intellectual disabilities they
show that we are all unified when we step on a basketball court. We all walk
away as winners in this game. We are gold medalists together in
life."
Yesterday's game was a Unified Sports experience that
gave participants and the public a chance to witness the inclusion fostered when
athletes with and without intellectual disabilities get to play together as
teammates. Half a million people
worldwide take part in Special Olympics Unified Sports competitions, helping to
break down stereotypes about people with intellectual disabilities.
The NBA Cares Special Olympics Unified Sports game at NBA
All-Star is another great activation in a long-term global partnership; as the
NBA's partnership with Special Olympics began more than 30 years ago when the
league helped to introduce basketball as a new sport to the
organization.
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