Nais ng Harlem Globetrotters na makipaglaro sa mga PBA players sa darating na November, ang buwan ng Philippine stop ng 2024 World Tour ng grupo.
Ito ang binanggit ng American basketball players sa naganap nilang presscon sa Novotel sa Cubao, Quezon City noong Lunes, July 29, 2024.
Ang Harlem Globetrotters ay isang grupo ng basketball players galing sa Amerika na sikat sa mga stunts sa court.
Nag-iikot sila sa buong mundo para ipakita ang kamangha-mangha nilang skills sa dribbling, dunking, at shooting sa pamamagitan ng nakakatuwang exhibition games.
Present sa presscon ang dalawang miyembro ng Harlem Globetrotters na sina Wham Middleton at Moose Weekes; at si Timothy Ho, managing director ng TEG Asia, na producer ng Harlem Globetrotters World Tour.
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM Harlem Globetrotters World Tour MANILA SHOW
Excited daw ang tatlo sa posibilidad na makapaglaro ang Harlem Globetrotters with local basketball players.
“The goal is to maybe play exhibition games with some professional or amateur players from the Philippines. I mean, anything is possible,” pahayag ni Timothy.
Inamin naman ni Wham na hindi ito maiiwasan dahil lagi’t lagi siyang maglalaro ng basketball basta makakita lang ng basketball court.
“Whenever I see a basketball court. I just have to play. So, I might, if you ask me, I might be playing with some local players,” sabi ni Wham, na miyembro na ng tanyag na exhibition team since 2018.
Alam daw nina Wham at Moose na laganap ang basketball culture sa Pilipinas.
Read: Meet JB Pagkatipunan, basketball player na naka-score ng 82 points sa isang liga
First time ng dalawa na bumisita sa Pilipinas, kaya nais nilang magpakitang-gilas sa kanilang mga fans dito.
Paliwanag ni Moose, “We're thrilled to be here and we've heard so much about just the passion for basketball.
"So what you can expect as fans is not only be entertained by amazing basketball skills and athleticism, but you're going to see the high flying dunks, sharp shooting from all points of the court, trick shots from the stands.”
@pepalerts Here’s to give you a peek into the Harlem Globetrotters 2024 World Tour show slated for November 12, 2024, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. #entertainmentnewsph #pepnews #newsph ? I Can Feel It v3 - Nick Sena and Danny Echevarria
Harlem Globetrotters on CONNECTING WITH FILIPINO FANS
Bukod sa pagpapalaganap ng kanilang passion for basketball, nais din ng Harlem Globetrotters na makapaghatid ng outreach sa mga Pinoy fans na nangangailangan.
Sa 98 years kasi na history ng Harlem Globetrotters ay kasama sa adhikain nito ang pagtulong at corporate social responsility.
“Community engagement is excellent,” saad ni Timothy.
“It's an integral part of, you know, bringing Harlem culture to the south so that we will be looking at some sort of outreach.”
Pero bago iyan ay sa ibang paraan muna kumonekta ang dalawang Amerikanong basketball player sa kanilang Pinoy fans.
Ito ay sa pamamagitan ng pagkain.
Kuwento ni Wham, malamang daw ay subukan nila ang isang sikat na Filipino fastfood.
“We are big on immersing ourselves in a culture of food, so I can't wait to try the food here. That's my big thing right now. I cannot wait. Jollibee, I think that's what we have to do after this.”
Magaganap ang Manila leg ng Harlem Globetrotters 2024 World Tour sa November 12, 2024, sa Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Matapos nito ay pupunta sila sa Malaysia, Indonesia, at Singapore.