Letter from Detlef

It really came as no surprise when I received an e-mail from former National Basketball Association (NBA) star Detlef Schrempf a few days ago.

I’d been waiting for Schrempf to write since I got a letter from his next-door Idaho neighbor saying to expect a note last May–eight months ago.

His neighbor is Maria Jordana Gerhardt, a Filipina-Spanish mestiza. Maria, or Marimil as she is called by folks back home, was once a member of the Philippine ladies squash team. She is married to Clark Gerhardt and they live in Sun Valley, Idaho, with their two sons. Marimil’s brother Joaquin is married to my wife Menchu’s first cousin and best friend Cuquita. Once upon a time, Menchu and Cuquita were ranked No. 1 in the country’s ladies pelota ladder. But enough of the background which I thought of providing to situate where Schrempf was coming from.

Last May, Marimil said Schrempf–she calls him Det–was thinking of undertaking a basketball diplomacy program in the Philippines. At the time, he was collaborating with National Basketball Association (NBA) Asia executive Carlo Singson, a Filipino based in Hong Kong, on how to promote the game in the countryside here.

Apparently, it took Schrempf close to a year to finalize a program that he calls "Understand the Game." His personal foundation is organizing the mission to the Philippines and the US Department of State is backing it up with a grant, estimated to be around $70,000. Schrempf has raised over $3 million since he established his foundation in 1996 to do charity work for underprivileged children particularly in the Pacific Northwest. The foundation is primarily a special events organization that raises funds to provide hope, care and assistance for poor children and families in the Seattle area through sports shows, celebrity dinners, gala auctions, golf tournaments, and others.

Now, he’s ready to capitalize on his rich basketball history as a springboard to promote goodwill and use the game as a catalyst to develop future leaders, to demonstrate the positive message of sports diplomacy and to foster cultural exhange through the "Understand the Game" program.

We’re lucky that Schrempf has identified the Philippines as his first staging area. The program includes Schrempf sponsoring the internship of two aspiring and young Filipino coaches for four weeks at the United States Basketball Academy (USBA) in Oregon this July.

Schrempf and his wife Mari are leading the traveling group that will conduct basketball clinics in Olongapo and Lipa on April 23-May 2.

Clinic director Brooks Meek, who played with former Metropolitan Basketball Association (MBA) center Jeff Flowers at Lewis and Clark College in Portland, described Schrempf as the perfect model for the campaign.

"Detlef embodies the potential effectiveness and resulting rewards of a successful international sports exchange," said Meek. "Now more than ever, he recognizes the need for utilizing the power of sport to promote understanding. Since his days as an NBA star, Detlef has focused on helping children through his foundation. With his charitable work, he has continually seen the power of grassroots efforts and their ability to make a difference."

In his e-mail, Schrempf said he was referred by his next-door neighbor Marimil. He mentioned he will be arriving here on April 22 and sent a copy of the "Understand the Game" rationale.

Marimil said she is convinced the Philippines will benefit from Schrempf’s visit. "He is straightforward in action and thought, a real doer, no beating around the bush," she said, referring to Schrempf. "He has a foundation for children in Seattle and raises probably close to $1 Million a year. His fundraisers include ferry trips on the Washington Sound with auction items from big names in sports and a list of attendees from celebrities to top restauranteurs and sports figures."

Schrempf’s wife Mari is a former hurdler on the West German national track team. She is the daughter of a black US serviceman formerly stationed in Germany and a German woman. Their two children are boys–Alex, 13, and Michael, 9.

Schrempf, who was born in Germany, played high school and college hoops in Washington. At the University of Washington, he started every position–from point guard to center, a testimony to his versatility, and majored in international business. Varsity coach Marv Harshman said Schrempf was the best player he ever coached in over 40 years at Washington.

Schrempf, 40, was Dallas’ first round pick–eighth overall–in the 1985 NBA draft and played 15 years in the majors for the Mavericks, Indiana Pacers, Seattle SuperSonics, and Portland Trail Blazers. He was the first European to play in the NBA All-Star Game and won the league’s Sixth Man Award twice. Schrempf, now a US citizen, saw action for Germany at the 1984 and 1992 Olympics.

During his NBA career, Schrempf was often matched up against Boston Celtics legend Larry Bird and they had memorable duels. He was runner-up to Bird in the three-point shootout at the 1987 NBA All-Star Weekend.

Filipino fans remember Schrempf for his classic "flat-top" crew cut and his booming triples–his career trey clip settled at a lofty .404.

Outside of basketball, Schrempf’s favorite athletes are Joe Montana of football and Boris Becker of tennis.

Schrempf’s clinic director Meek is a basketball star in his own right.

The 5-10 deadshot was a two-time National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) second team All-American despite his size. He played in Hong Kong, Japan, and Germany.

In pro-am tournaments, Meek used to tangle with the likes of Damon Stoudamire, Terrell Brandon and Cliff Robinson. His idol is former NBA guard Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf, formerly known as Chris Jackson of Louisiana State. He also idolizes Isiah Thomas and Bobby Hurley.

A few years ago, Meek joined coaches Bob Pierce and Tamoya Higashino in undertaking a prototype basketball diplomacy program in Japan. Meek’s experience was the basis for writing the program that is now the centerpiece event in Schrempf’s foundation.

"If I had the chance to play basketball for someone and they would just give me food and a place to stay with no money, I’d do it," once said Meek in expressing his passion for the game. He added that to him, playing basketball is a two-hour sanctuary where you forget about what is going on in life and just have fun on the court.

Meek said the clinics in Olongapo and Lipa will be free of charge. "The age range for the clinics is all inclusive," he added. "We want as many kids as we can fit, across as many age ranges and both women and men. We are limited by the gym space, however. This is a grassroots campaign to help teach all kids, not just the elite. We are concentrated in Luzon this year to build relationships and a presence before heading South next year.

The goal is to do this every year and make it nationwide. Please note that the goal of this campaign is grassroots–we want to coach and reach the people who normally don’t get the attention of someone like Detlef."

From the way Schrempf and Meek explain it, "Understand the Game" should make quite an impact here. We’re looking forward to welcoming Schrempf’s group in April.

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