Erichsen, Gerald. The global expansion of basketball can now be traced like a diaspora throughout the world. Empirical evidence would support this. Now don't get me wrong, they weren't singing Kumbaya or doing a team-building ropes course or anything like that. The financial stability and drug-free image that the NBA is known for now were not more than a dream until the early 1980s. I traveled for 6 months through Central and South America to get a closer look at the international development of the game from an anthropological perspective. A staple of Spanish culture dating back to antiquity, bullfighting is considered the national spectacle, a rich pageant more akin to a beautifully choreographed ballet than a sporting event. This is one of the best results obtained in the World Cup by an Asian country. There are more than 450 million native speakers of Spanish, making it second only to Chinese in terms of the most spoken languages in the world. The neba is the Spanish translation of "NBA", and is a multimedia marketing campaign targeted specifically at Latino/a NBA fans. Calle de Salvador Tomasetti 21-37. Thats exactly what has happened with basketball in Spanish, an explosion of interest for the game and of young people playing it. It is played similarly to soccer but with 5 players on each team and slightly different rules. Eighteen professional teams play from September to June, participating in league and European games. I used to see these Spanish youngsters, anywhere from 8-14 years old, working out in my team's gym, especially if I'd go in at night to get treatment from our crotchety old Spanish trainer. Aside from the silver in Beijing,Spain is alsothe defending European champions (having won the last European Championship in Poland in 2009), with a full roster of talented players, many of whom have had legit success in the NBA. Manage Settings Basketball is an immensely popular sport, which, in recent years, its considered to be among the fastest-growing sports worldwide. The national team has seen some success on the international stage, coming second in the FIBA World Cup on different occasions. Luis F. Domnguez is a freelance writer and independent journalist interested in travel, languages, art, books, history, philosophy, politics and sports. While the level of play in rural areas of Latin America is not much to speak of, the reach of the game to the outskirts of the globe is astounding. According to The Institute For Diversity And Ethics in Sport, the NBA was only 2.3 percent Latino last season. With 56,757,391 native and non-native Spanish speakers, the United States has more Spanish speakers than even Spain! It starts with the coaches, who need to be certified by the Spanish Basketball Federation. When it comes to international competitions, the nation has attained a couple of medals in the Summer Olympics. More than 32 million people speak Venezuelan Spanish, although wide-reaching words have been adopted from indigenous languages. In addition to Spanish, there are 36 recognised indigenous languages in Bolivia. Click here for a video preview of Basketball Review Games!Activity Information:Almost no prep! He is one of the most well known and best paid athletes in the world, but most people don't know his Hispanic background. However, the most recent flood of talent into the NBA is migrating from Latin America, where there are a signficant number of young prospects with legitimate NBA potential. No portion of FIBA.basketball may be duplicated, redistributed or manipulated in any form.By accessing FIBA.basketball pages, you agree to abide by FIBA.basketball terms and conditions. Like in a family, there exists a hierarchy among siblings of different ages and levels of physical or emotional development. 1. Was I shocked out of my jammies when they cut the U.S. lead to as little as four with just over two minutes to play? The popularity and unique translation of basketball in these countries is just now beginning to dramatically affect in the NBA. Needless to say, when a country has such great triumphs in the international arena, the games popularity explodes. Al Horford is from the Dominican Norteamrica ( North America ), Centroamrica ( Central America ), and el Caribe ( Caribbean) Sudamrica ( South America) Europa ( Europe) and frica ( Africa) Mxico Mexico has the largest population of Spanish speakers in the world. For example, Eduardo Najera's well known hustle on the basketball court exemplifies a work ethic specific to Mexico, where the same focused and efficient diligence can be observed in his countrymen when undertaking even the simplest of household duties. The beauty of sports is how they unite people, transcend borders, and generate emotions (and money) all over the world. Greece The turning point for basketball in Greece was when, in 1987, the men's national team won, for the first time, the EuroBasket Championship. Erichsen, Gerald. The object of the game is to hit the ball over the net and into the other team's court. Dan Grunfeld, who spent three years playing professionally in Spain, explains why. Volleyball is a sport that is popular in many Spanish-speaking countries. We have translated and edited for our readers). Surely you have heard about real Madrid; it is one of the most famous teams in this sport. That led to people leading more active lifestyles and being happier overall. This game is being played since the eighteenth century, and it has been a trend for honor kings by fighting with bulls to show muscle strength in the country. I set out to discover how the game changes when translated into other cultures and languages, and how these international translations are in turn changing the game we see at home. After we'd won, our captain, a well-known player throughout Spain, ran up to me and kissed the top of my head. Your email address will not be published. However, basketball is quite popular in Spain. Then, in the EuroBasket Championship, the national team has achieved the top places in about ten occasions, winning their first title in 1983. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Back in the early 2000s, when former Chinese player, Yao Ming, played his first NBA game with the Houston Rockets, about 200 million watched the game. Copyright 2022 Ropcaf. The countries in this list are: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama and Paraguay. There are other Latinos currently making their personal and cultural mark on the NBA. Basketball culture in Latin America helps to shape a sense of community and keep young people away from drugs and gangs. in the last decade. Erichsen, Gerald. The five most populous countries where Spanish is the official language are Mexico, Colombia, Spain, Argentina, and Peru. In Latin America, the love for the game has. The third biggest, by some estimates, with 2.2 billion fans around the world. I don't think it's a coincidence that the national teams of both Spain and Greece have thrived, and their players are among some of the best that Europe has to offer. This event showed all of Latin America - and the world - that the United States is beatable at their own game. I've played two more years in Spain since watching the United Stateswin gold, and I've only grown more convinced that Spain's continued basketball success both internationally and at home is no coincidence. There are many great football clubs in Spain, including Barcelona, Real Madrid, Valencia, Atltico Madrid, Athletic Bilbao, and Sevilla FC. This is true especially during fast breaks. I was in heaven at this point, rooting for my country but definitely relishing the unbelievable circumstances of a down-to-the-wire gold medal game. United Kingdom - 4,830,586 speakers. Despite the growth we have observed in the sport around the world, basketball is certainly not yet a way of life in Central and South America. Like an individual who is a nought without the help of other person, the world of sports is nothing without Hispanics taking part in it. Players like Manu Ginbili and Andrs Nocioni, who not only played in the NBA for years but also beat USAs Dream Team a couple of times, became role models for kids all over the continent. Russia is also home to some NBA stars, like 2016 NBA Champions Timofey Mozgov and Sasha Kaun; as well as what is regarded as one of the best European basketball teams, PBC CSKA Moscow. The Spread of The Game
What's included: accommodation in volunteer house or homestay, all meals, airport pickup, discounts on language lessons, 24/7 support, in-country orientation. Spanish is the predominant language in over 20 different countries. I can't say what started this method of Spanish basketball, or why other countries haven't been able to replicate it with the same level of effectiveness. Puerto Rico's Rafael "Piculin" Ortiz, who was drafted 16th overall in 1987 by the Utah Jazz, is considered one of the most famous Latino players in the world. Spain, Mexico, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay,. NBA PLAYERS SPEAKING SPANISH. Many Chinese thoroughly enjoy the sport. Those countries are Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Spain, Uruguay and Venezuela. In Nicaragua, the American-style baseball is the most popular sport played, making it a tradition with five teams competing against each other. The Spanish teams also compete in a national domestic cup competition each year, called the Copa del Rey de Baloncesto, which is played by the top eight teams in the standings of the Liga ACB, at the end of the first half of the regular season. Vote for Your Favourite Hispanic Athletes, (Cuban-American Former Major League Baseball (MLB) Outfielder and Designated Hitter), (Association football player, Association football manager), (American Puerto Rican Basketball Player Who Plays as a Small Forward). Over 67% of the population speaks Spanish. He has written for Fodors, Yahoo!, Sports Illustrated, Telemundo, and Villa Experience, among other brands of print and digital media in Europe and North America. When they hosted the Olympics, it changed the country. Giannis trash talked the NBAs biggest stars on The Daily Show, and it was adorable. Videos Spanish Speaking Countries Song & display (2. These players, along with many other Latin Americans who have enjoyed success in their home countries and Europe over the last 30 years, provide a solid group of idols for the current players we see immigrating into the NBA - and also for the younger generations currently preparing themselves to take that step. The language exposes communal and lingual standards to make a pattern of understanding each other norms and senses. In recent years, the nation has had better success in international competitions, marking, for some, a new era for French basketball. Why Spain Serves Up Best Basketball InEurope, Jalen Carters arrest warrant for reckless driving and racing, explained. Gerald Erichsen is a Spanish language expert who has created Spanish lessons for ThoughtCo since 1998. I had just finished my first season playing in Spain (and my second professional season overall), so watching my native country, the United States, and my adopted home, Spain, get it on for the gold was something that gave me an embarrassing amount of joy. Several well-known Argentinian players have made it to the NBA, especially Manu Ginobili who won the NBA Championship in four occasions. Mexican American culture is robust and full of history, with a focus on family. The sport is, especially popular at a college level. All rights reserved. Enter your name and email below and I'll send them right over. Carter has reportedly left the combine after allegations of his role in a fatal car accident. When you think about basketball, youll most likely think about the NBA, the official American basketball league. Therefore, it wont come as a surprise that this country is also where basketball is, arguably, the most popular. I prefer playing tennis to playing basketball.Prefiero jugar al tenis a jugar al baloncesto. Call 1-800-GAMBLER. If you look at the statistics in Spain's top league, the ACB, you'll see that on many teams, there are nine or 10 guys who each play around 20 minutes a game. (sports) a. jugar baloncesto. Program length: between 1-24 weeks, depending on the program. If you're a basketball fan, you probably remember the gold medal game at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. It envisages uplifting moral values, abilities to empower change in attitude, trampling the disease, and rectifying immunity leveling by bifurcating health and exercise. Basketball is a quite popular sport in Australia. https://www.thoughtco.com/english-spanish-basketball-glossary-3079950 (accessed March 2, 2023). We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. The NBA has been working really hard to increase basketballs popularity in the region, scheduling pre-season and regular-season games in countries like Mxico, Puerto Rico, and Brazil. Speaking of the NBA . The Chinese Basketball Association (CBA), the Chinese equivalent to the NBA, estimates that therere about half a billion Chinese that play basketball. Catalina Sandino Moreno was born on April 19, 1981 in Bogot, Colombia. Unlike some other countries overseas like Germany, Israel or Italy, Spain only allows two Americans per team. She is an actress and producer, known for Maria Full of Grace (2004), A Most Violent Year (2014) and The Bridge (2013). S2 Spanish - Countries - Los Pases Match up. Many countries in Africa list French or Portuguese as their official language. According to Sweeney Sports, its estimated that 1 in every 3 Australians likes the sport, and about a million of them play it. So, as someone with experience playing in Spain, was I amazed that the Spaniards pushedTeam USAto the brink? Spain had talent on that team, no doubt, but nothing close to the absurd collection of NBA stars that wore the red, white and blue. While the system in Spain is obviously not perfect, they do a damn good job of teaching, playing and respecting the game. With more media coverage, as well as the signing of Brazilian players to the NBA, it is expected that the popularity of basketball will be boosted even further. Spanish speaking countries stand out itself majorly in the field of sports. Although, as mentioned before, basketball was invented in the United States, the creator of the sport, James Naismith, was actually Canadian. They definitely have highly developed skill sets, but to be honest, I've never played with a Spanish guy who I didn't consider to be a great teammate. The nation has won the FIBA World Cup on more than one occasion; in 1998, they won their first title in Greece, under the FR Yugoslavia. To really put this global phenomenon in perspective, we must not forget that it took 49 years after its invention in Dr. Naismith's gym class for the game of basketball to become a U.S. profession in 1937. They also play futsal, a variation of soccer. A person who speaks Spanish is Hispanic. Spanish Speaking Countries in Asia: Philippines For more than 370 years, the Philippines was a colony of Spain. Only Jamaica ranked higher in recent years. Spanish - countries Match up. FIBA Men's National Team Competition System, FIBA Women's National Team Competition System. Now that weve seen how popular basketball is in Latin America and Spain, lets turn our attention to useful vocabulary in Spanish. Their top league, the ACB, is widely considered to be the best domestic league in Europe, with five teams having already qualified to play in the Euroleague, a competition of all the top clubs overseas. Here are the 10 Spaniards playing in the NBA's 2016/2017 season. Players from Spain In The NBA Since 1946-1947 Sort: Player (A-Z) Col umns: Swipe * Career stats since the 1946-1947 season. by Stpaulsmodlangs. Another 9 million live in Spanish-speaking households, presumably heritage speakers with limited Spanish-language proficiency. 1. There are 21 Spanish speaking countries in the world. This Spanish Speaking Countries Map set, also known as Geo-Power, is a proven system that increases students' geographic awareness in a fun and meaningful way! The beauty of sports is how they unite people, transcend borders, and generate emotions (and money) all over the world. Basketball is a review game that naturally builds in differentiation! 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