<< crossposted on the 30HomeGames Medium blog
I was interviewed by Ryan of GetBuckets to close out 2023, we reflected on our time in Manila for the FIBA World Cup and talked about the world game. I had excerpted our conversation for an IG Guide, but seeing as that feature was disabled, I've transferred that info here. You can still scroll through the IG Guides via this link: 30HomeGames Instagram Guides.
VIDEO: The NBA is not it and FIBA is proving its case
Chatting with Ryan from Get Buckets.
We debriefed after our FIBAWC experience in Manila.
Find the full vid on the 'Get Buckets' YouTube channel.
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| My intention for FIBAWC 2023 in Jakarta 🇮🇩, Okinawa 🇯🇵 and Manila 🇵🇭 |
My World Cup Intention
LE: (1m 03s) I knew I had to do it my way, which is usually doing it all 3. Obviously most people will watch their team and whoever the host is, maybe go to Manila for the finals phase.
Because I'm doing it as a traveller, backpacker and explorer and also just someone who wants to immerse myself in the experience, I had to do it all.
Lietuva, where @30HomeGames began
LE: (2m 08s) I was hooping in Rotterdam🇳🇱 with a Spanish guy from the hostel… and he goes "You love basketball, you should go to EuroBasket".
I was like, "What's @EuroBasket?"
He explained it to me, I looked it up and went to Lithuania a couple of months later… I got to see Dirk Nowitzki, Marc Gasol, Joakim Noah, Boris Diaw. All NBA guys obviously but that's a side of the game that maybe people don't know about.
You know "The Dream Team", you know your local national team but there's a whole world out there.
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| Taiwanese superfans of the Baltics in Jakarta |
Hoops opening up the world
LE: (5m 22s) The more curious and the more you find out, the more you realise there's more curiosity to look into. There's more that we can dig into…"
Find your pack
LE: (7m 14) We all have to realise that attention is paid to what's popular but there's always going to be a small subgroup of people.
People like Australians who like the Boomers. People who like small market teams, who like the Grizzlies and the Timberwolves who are like
"🙋♂️ How about us? 🙋♀️ How about us?".
There's always been that tussle.
On growing the fanbase
LE: (8m 20s) For me - and we can talk about this with women's sport or just anything. You just need to build a loyal fanbase. You need to build a fanbase that's "ride or die " with you and who are genuine about the team. Genuine about the culture.
Success can bring you new fans, success can bring you new audiences... but you just need that loyalty, you need that culture. You need that sense of community.
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| Lebanon fans in Jakarta for FIBAWC |
Win for Lebanon
LE: (10m 15s) My first World Cup game was Latvia vs Lebanon, probably the best crowd on both sides I experienced. Lebanon came second in FIBA Asia, @WaelArakji is a player I really like so I came in wanting to like Lebanon. They had an amazing support group... a massive amount of Lebanese fans, that's what it's about..."
Gold stays forever
RA: (11m 08s) This is where I really appreciated that mob of Australians, the old heads who were even wearing custom shirts… Even if the Boomers weren't there, they all had fun. That's what it's all about, being with your mates and enjoying the sport that you love.
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| Pilipinas at Australia (February 2018) |
They say we love basketball
RA: (14m 28s) If the Philippines or Filipinos have the ability to support, they will.
...
In 2018 there was an exhibition match in Melbourne... Gilas vs Boomers. 80% attending were Filipinos IN Australia.
I was so proud that I was there, it was insane!
...
They will support the Philippines team, it's just outside of them and Team USA, it needs some work. I don't think it's the Filipinos' fault. Again, credit to the huge marketing machine that is the NBA...
Love of the game
LE: (19m 09s) You've seen this with sneakers… everyone's a sneakerhead now and everyone knows more about sneakers than you do. Then you're like wait "Didn't you just get into it two years ago?"
But that's all of life now...
Guest piece for 'SBS Voices'
LE: (19m 24s) Everything is just accessible but how does that translate into authentic following. Because if it's easy to get into something, it's also easy to get out of something out.
RA: That's right. Is it a trend or do you believe it as a person and it just became a trend?
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| This. Is. Wrestling. #30HGlive |
Then. Now. Forever.
LE: (20m 08s) Everyone likes everything.
RA: There's small bubbles everywhere. They like their own thing.
LE: But then how many things in your life have you liked since you were 15? That to me is what's interesting… That's basketball for me. It's pro-wrestling as well and then there's a million other things.
But that's also what makes me, me.
Best way to find out
LE: (21m 53s) You want to search for it. There's a comedian @peteholmes who [has a joke] about Googling. You can Google all knowledge but the best knowledge is when you experience it, maybe organically through conversation or organically through life...
And so for me that story is amazing because you had the intention for something to happen... And to me that's what the experience of going on these trips is about.
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| Getting swept up by @Gromuls and Team Latvia |
The Latvian connection
LE: (23m 32s) I'm walking towards there, then I see a bunch of Latvians and I'm like "They're going to the game, I'll follow them
...
They're friendly to me and they give me a [Rolands Šmits] shirt so I become part of their crew...
So [@gromuls] he's a TikToker, an influencer, and he just knows everyone in Latvia so I was just connected with him for all the games yeah...
LE: (24m 14s) "I want to introduce you to someone. he's the President of Basketball". So I shake his hand, take a photo. He's a cool guy.
Then later on everyone else is taking photos with him and one of the guys goes, "You know who that is right? That's the former President of Latvia".
...
This is who I want to meet and connect with. People who are just like: You're a fan, I'm a fan.
I'm a person, you're a person.
RA: (27m 58s) You want to understand why the last three MVPs in the NBA are not American, this is why. You have to see how they play, how they connect. They're so different.
I go back to Bogdan, this is why I want a Bogdan jersey... he's the lifeblood of the Serbian team.
Find other 30HomeGames interviews interviews below:
- Approaching 10 years of @30HomeGames. A decade of traveling and connecting over a shared love of basketball
- Ball Year Round podcast episode 47: Tales from 30HomeGames
- Dropping Dimes in Pictures
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