His love for history is among the many reasons why Unseld Jr., head coach of the Wizards, decided to participate in the 2022 Basketball Without Borders camp in Cairo, Egypt. Unseld Jr. is currently there along with other NBA coaches, NBA players and Naismith Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo to help continue the game’s global expansion.
Unseld Jr. in many ways is serving as an ambassador for the sport.
“That sounds heavy when you say it like that. Honestly, for us it’s an opportunity to give back. It’s unique in this fashion because you’re doing it in another country,” Unseld Jr. told NBC Sports Washington in a conversation from Cairo. “Oftentimes, you’re dealing with young people who don’t speak the same language. The commonality is the language of basketball, the language of sport.”
Unseld Jr. is coaching boys and girls from all over the continent through drills, scrimmages and games. Other coaches there include Steve Kerr of the Warriors and Chauncey Billups of the Blazers. NBA players helping out include Malcolm Brogdon and Grant Williams of the Celtics, Mo Bamba of the Magic and Udoka Azubuike of the Jazz. Raptors president Masai Ujiri is among the camp’s directors.
The kids participating are all 18 years or younger. Collectively, they have traveled from 26 different African countries.
The campers are split into stations each morning at the Hassan Mostafa Indoor Sports Complex. They are coached on a variety of skills including ball-handling, defense, offensive spacing and shooting. There are also life skill guidance, which Unseld Jr. believes is especially valuable.
“The kids are so excited. Just to see their reaction to the opportunity, not just to be in a facility to play and to learn, but also the opportunity just to kind of rub shoulders not necessarily with me, but NBA players and personalities that they watch on TV. To see Steve Kerr, to be up in close and have him instruct you in a session or even coach you in a game [is great],” Unseld Jr. said.
