Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
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The sounds are the same. The sneakers are the same. And the object of the game is the same. But one look at their jersey's and you know right away, this is very different.
"We are getting ready for the Beijing Olympics," smiles Samad Nik Khahbahrami, "and we know we have very hard games."
Khahbahrami is one of 15 players on the Iranian national basketball team. This month, they are in Utah, at the Flash Factory in Lehi, scrimmaging against NBA teams in the Rocky Mountain Revue.
Head Coach Rajko Toroman says he's not sure how his team will compare to the NBA summer league, but he says this is the kind of competition that will help them improve. Get Microsoft Silverlight Lots of basketball teams have played in Utah, but not this one... until now!
"Basketball is basketball," says Khahbahrami, "If you want to play in the world basketball, you have to do everything. You have to shoot well, penetrate well, and dunk well."
This is also the first time the Iranian team has ever played in America.
Through an interpreter, 7' 2" center Hamed Ehadadi says America, especially Utah, has been great. He also respects how the U.S. basketball teams play. Videos
Hamed Sohrabnejad says basketball in Iran is getting bigger and more popular all the time. He thinks coming to America to practice and play is very historic, and he says it's something a lot of basketball fans in Iran are paying attention to.
Each player on this team knows it's going to take hard work to compete on the world stage. However, they also say just competing makes their countrymen proud, and it gives citizens something to cheer for.
Many of them already follow the NBA.
"Michael Jordan is the best player in the world, I think," said Khahbahrami when I asked him his favorite player, "for the moment now, I like Kobe Bryant."
Ehadadi told me he likes Tracy McGrady.
Sohrabnejad said he likes anybody on the Los Angeles Lakers.
Each player smiled when they started talking about the NBA, and who knows?
Maybe one day, future Iranian players will talk about stars on this team when they're asked who they look up to.
It's been decades since Iran had a basketball team qualify for the Olympics.
