Setting up Dubai's offense for NBA 3-pointer: Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, game in UAE

In the history of one of the most storied sports franchises in the world – the Los Angeles Lakers – is etched a full-page advertisement.

In Los Angeles, the home of the Lakers it was a first – which if you’re a Lakers’ fan, is a kind of minimum you are used to.

The first time a full-page ad in a newspaper was taken out from one single fan to a player on a basketball team in the US; or, maybe anywhere in the world.

The player at the receiving end of this display of fanatical belief – Kobe Bryant.

The fan?

Ahmed bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman of the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) and the dyed in Kobe, Los Angeles Lakers’ follower,  and now, the man at the heart of bringing the NBA to Dubai and UAE, and taking Dubai to the NBA.

The ad above, which appeared in the ‘LA Times’ on June 9, 2013, in retrospect may now be the watershed moment that linked the National Basketball Association (NBA), the Lakers, Kobe Bryant and Dubai, UAE.

In the ad, Bin Sulayem strategically placed Dubai’s Expo 2020 logo and the DMCC brand.

It put four great brands on one page – Kobe Bryant, the NBA, the Lakers and Dubai.

Those four brands are now looking at realistic on-the-ground basketball impact in Dubai and the UAE.

While all the above is now in retrospect, the ad itself stands testimony to Bin Sulayem’s respect and love for Kobe Bryant.

Play-maker, UAE

Ahmed Bin Sulayem takes centre court during Kobe Bryant's visit to the UAE. (Supplied)

Over organic coffee on the 50th floor of his Al Mas Tower office in Jumeirah Lake Towers (JLT), Bin Sulayem recounts the genesis of the ad that captured the imagination of the city of Los Angeles and went viral on social media, capturing the attention of the sports world.

However, before we replay the events that led to the ‘Carpe Diem’ moment, it might be better to look at the present because since the ad, much has happened.

Kobe in UAE

Kobe Bryant visited the UAE in September 2013 and besides throwing his considerable endorsement behind the fight against diabetes and taking a basketball clinic in Abu Dhabi, he met and spent time with Bin Sulayem.

Bin Sulayem believes Kobe will return, but he is clear about a few things.

“Everything going forward will happen through the NBA and the UAE federation,” he says.

Expect things to happen

“Expect things to happen,” says Bin Sulayem, “The NBA teams have played games in the UK and that could happen here as well,” he says.

“If it does not happen with DMCC, we will look at DTCM or I will take them to key government entities looking for these kind of tie-ups here,” he says.

Bin Sulayem has met with NBA management team representatives.

Pau Gasol
 

Bin Sulayem is also in talks with Pau Gasol, as concerns a Dubai initiative for the Lakers star’s training academy and CSR activities.

“For our involvement it is all about being on the same page and having the same vision,” says Bin Sulayem.

Jawann Oldham

Former Lakers star Jawann Oldham takes a Dubai player through the paces at his academy. (Pic: Kamran Awan)

At the local grass-roots level, an MoU with Jawann Oldham is in place.

Oldham is a former Lakers player who is based and runs training camps in Dubai.

In fact in an amazing story of tenacity and commitment, Oldham has in Dubai seven years doing the groundwork and training at the grassroots level for just the kind of scenario that is being set up now.

Under-17 World FIBA basketball championship

The Under-17 FIBA basketball championship will be held in the UAE and the UAE Basketball Federation is already in touch with Bin Sulayem in terms of his involvement in the putting together of the tournament.

Filipinos, Lebanese, Indians, Africans... can jump

Given the UAE and Dubai’s thrust into the limelight as host of an increasing number of world championship-level events, basketball is now very much on the boards.

With his love and passion for the game, Bin Sulayem, like a playmaker with the right handling skills, seems to be the key man in setting up what looks like a great offense to take basketball from the fringes of the collective sporting consciousness of the UAE to the mainstream.

It’s a challenge Bin Sulayem knows well.

He recounts how when he first returned from Los Angeles, where he completed his college (and watched Kobe train at the Gold Gym) to Dubai to begin his professional corporate career he walked into a football-crazy world.

“They asked me which football club do I support?” he says.

But it was basketball that he was crazy about and the Lakers, the club he supported.

Apart from keeping a close, close eye on the Lakers through all these years – mostly on TV (he find the intensity of watching them ‘live’ too much) -  Bin Sulayem is now finally bring his basketball game to impact Dubai.

Dubai’s diverse resident base of nationalities from across the world gives it a solid basketball playing fraternity.

From the Filipinos with their ‘street’ ball to the Indians and Pakistanis that throng basketball academies to the Lebanese die-hards and the Africans as well, there is good news for those who want more from, and for, basketball in the UAE.

Not least for the seven professional basketball teams that make up the pro league here in the UAE.

At the meeting with the NBA management team reps, the Lakers fan in bin Sulayem burst forth at that meeting and amidst all the business he pointed something he believed should happen to them (Click video).

Carpe Diem, Kobe stands alone

And so we go back to the Carpe Diem ad.

In retrospect everything seems to stem from that public display of fanatical support for the Lakers and Kobe Bryant.

But Bin Sulayem explains: “If people think I planned the Kobe ad, they give me too much credit,” he muses.

Early 2013, the owner of the Lakers Jerry Buss had just passed away and the team was going through a transition period.

There had been no title for the Lakers since 2010.

In the background was the 2011 humbling by Dallas in the playoffs, 4-0.

Phil Jackson goes, then there is Mike Brown and the Lakers lose again in 2nd round to the Oklahoma Thunder 4-1.

Talk first begins to fly around that Kobe is considering  retirement.

Mike D'antoni comes to coach, with Steve Nash brought in.

Then, in 2013, Kobe blows his Achilles.

Was Bryant past his best? Was this injury the final call for a man who almost singlehandedly drove Lakers for three years?

Was it time for Los Angeles to let go of the Black Mamba, and Kobe of the Lakers?

Ahmed bin Sulayem decided to step in and tell Kobe, the Lakers, all of LA and the world – he believed Kobe Bryant was still the man for the Lakers.

Bin Sulayem released the ad.

The ad itself is now part of basketball folklore and history and Bin Sulayem believes Kobe is still part of the future.

Carpe Diem at DMCC

There are a few parallels to be drawn between Ahmed Bin Sulayem’s ‘Carpe Diem’ basketball move and his vision and plans for DMCC.

DMCC will build the world’s tallest commercial tower in the world – the Burj 2020.

When the project was first planned, Bin Sulayem said he met with opposition.

Dubai already has four of the world’s tallest buildings across key specifications and segments.

Was there room for one more?

Also, the global impact of the 2008 financial crisis was still only in the recent past.

Seizing the day, Bin Sulayem’s designs and plans for the tower have set it apart from the tallest of the tall.

Besides the entire tower being dedicated to commercial space, it will have the world’s highest viewing deck and a 360 degrees view at that.

Now just a few months away from announcing detail designs and plans, Bin Sulayem says: “It is all going according to plan. We will soon announce the architect and reveal more details.”

Game on.

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