Basketball in the Middle East: Dangerous or Advantageous?

by Ryan Stead

                  Astonishingly, professionally basketball leagues are so popular in the Middle East that there is almost one in every country! Even war-ridden areas like Iran have professional leagues that many Americans play in. So the question is, why are people going to risk their lives to play basketball overseas and what’s the cultural and political experience actually like to live in?

                  For starters, Americans are playing basketball in the Middle East for the money. The only option in the US is the NBA or its developmental “D”-league. A D-league annual salary of $12,000-$24,000 is insufficient when compared to the likes of an Iraq league that pays up to $20,000 a month for its best players (IJR). Some other perks include a team hotel, meals, and team cars to get around the area. The reason ex-NBA star Amar’e Stoudemire currently plays in Israel’s Premier League is so he can live a “holy life”. In the Middle East he is able to appropriately practice religious holidays and adhere to the Black Israelite lifestyle.

Building winning basketball teams has become a political task because most leagues are funded by the government. Often teams are supported by religious sects of people which has created rivalries between groups such as Christians and Muslims. American integration has served as a peaceful connection between all groups of people. Some people see playing in the Middle East as a danger to the athletes and our national security, but others view it as a positive bridge to world peace.

As for player security, most don’t explore the nations they inhabit and stay in their military secured hotels. They usually have a “civil unrest” clause in their contract that allows them to flee to the U.S. Embassy or home if something potentially dangerous were to happen. Athlete Loren Woods has played in Iran and Lithuania and talked about the crowd control in Lebanon; “You see 20 guys with AK-47s, you’re going to think twice about hurling a bottle” (WSJ).

A main concern of prospective players is that they won’t be accepted in nations controlled by ISIS or where the US employs troops. It turns out its quite the contrary because Middle Eastern fans have a proclivity to American style basketball of watching flashy highlight plays. The Superleague is Iraq’s state funded league, and 8 of the 9 teams in it have an American basketball player on their team (WP). Culturally there is some differences that can get players into trouble, like taking romantic interests in girls they meet. There’s no liquor or pork to be found in most areas and the players have adapted to the nonexistent night-life.

The NBA has 400 NBA stores globally and has even begun to implant their brand in Middle East territory by opening a few stores there. They partnered with a Qatari fashion company and are planned to sell merchandise in Qatar, UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait starting in 2017 (National).

                  In my eyes, American basketball players should seek employment in the Middle East even if there are obstacles they face. Until there is a major incident there involving a basketball league there’s no reason to fear playing. If ISIS or any other group wanted to harm Americans, they would’ve done so already. The money the players make is enough to take the risk of playing the sport they love, and the sport can be used as an instrument for Americans to build a better relationship with Middle Eastern areas.

The main reason I chose this topic was not only for my love of basketball but my close proximity to the sport. I am a student-manager for the Rutgers Men’s Basketball team. My goal during this project was to learn about basketball in the Middle East and also understand people’s perceptions of it. I took all of these pictures over the last month at practice or at games.

Many a times college basketball players venture East to pursue their professional basketball dreams and the Middle East is an option.

Our team features a lot of players from foreign nations. They hail from places such as Amsterdam, Senegal, Ontario, and Portugal! Ibrahima Diallo (seen in picture) is from Dakar, Senegal. Although he isn’t from the Middle East, he is a Muslim which is the predominant religion practiced in that area.

Technically, I didn’t interview all the players but I did ask around to see the general consensus of whether or not they would play professional basketball in the Middle East. At first, most said it was far too dangerous but majority changed their minds after I told them a little about the salary they could earn and the track record of American players being safe there.

Works Cited

Caffrey, Jane. "'The Iran Job': Filmmaker Chronicles Politics, Basketball in the Middle East." CNN. Cable News Network, 17 Oct. 2012. Web. 10 Dec. 2016.

Holley, Peter. "Why These Pro Players Are Willing to Play Basketball in Iraq for $20K a Month." The Washington Post. WP Company, 17 Mar. 2015. Web. 10 Dec. 2016.

Kurch, Nicholas. "Iraq Is Giving Aspiring Basketball Stars Some Pretty Good Reasons to Leave America." Independent Journal Review. N.p., 12 Feb. 2015. Web. 10 Dec. 2016.

Millman, Joel. "Global Hot Spot: Hoops Stars Make a Fast Break for the Mideast." The Wall Street Journal. Dow Jones & Company, 10 Dec. 2010. Web. 10 Dec. 2016.

@TheNationalUAE. "NBA to Open First Middle East Stores in Qatar; UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait to Follow | The National." The National. N.p., 22 June 2016. Web. 10 Dec. 2016.