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Hamed Haddadi made history as the first Iranian to play in the NBA when he was signed by the Memphis Grizzlies. Born in Ahvaz, the 24-year-old has come a long way from playing with the Iranian national basketball team to becoming the first Iranian athlete to host a sports camp for Iranian Americans. I sat down with Hamed and discussed the pressures of being the first Iranian in the NBA, his reaction to the controversial comments made by the Clippers announcers and his admiration for Shaquille O’Neal.
Shermineh Rohanizadeh: When did you start playing basketball and how did you get involved?
Hamed Haddadi: I was a teenager, about 14-years-old. I was tall, and loved soccer. My family friend, a coach, told me to try basketball. I liked basketball, but could not find shoes that were big enough for my feet. My coach had a lot of confidence in me and a strong belief in my abilities. So, I moved away from my family to train in a different city, and it was very hard because I was young and became homesick, but I practiced hard and just got taller, stronger, and better.
SR: What do you love the most about the sport of basketball?
HH: I love to compete. I love the satisfaction of winning, not only against your individual opponent, but also against other teams. I like to compete and represent my country, my team. There are not too many people in the world who can say they play a sport for a living, love what they do for a living, and get to travel and compete against the best in the world.
SR: How did you end up playing basketball in the U.S?
HH: It is every basketball player’s dream to play NBA basketball. The NBA is the best league in the world. I was very fortunate to have some teams interested in me after my play in the 2008 Olympics in China. After that, I received permission from the U.S. government to come to the U.S., my agent negotiated with some teams, and we got the best offer from the Memphis Grizzlies. Everything happened so fast and was very exciting. I had offers from teams in Europe, but it was always my dream to play in the NBA.
SR: Did you ever think that you would have your dream realized and play for the NBA?
HH: I worked very hard, practiced very hard, and I knew that if NBA teams saw me play, I had a shot to prove my talent. When our national team from Iran came to Utah to play in the NBA summer league, a lot of NBA scouts saw me play. And when I played against Argentina, which had NBA players on its team, I realized I could play at that optimal level.
It felt great the first time I practiced with an NBA team, the first time I wore my jersey, the first time I scored a point. Everything was surreal, and at the same time, it felt like it was just the next step because I worked hard everyday.
SR: As the first Iranian to play in the NBA, do you feel a lot of pressure to be great?
HH: There is a lot of pressure for me because I don’t want to let my fans, my countrymen, down. I want to make everyone proud, but it’s hard to do that when you don’t play. In my country, everyone makes me feel good. They feel proud of me and they tell me that. I hope I don’t disappoint them. I just want the chance to play and make them proud. In some of the cities, my manager, Mayar Zokaei, organized “Iranian Heritage Night,” and I saw many Iranians come and support me. Sometimes they wear my jersey, and sometimes they wear shirts with Iran’s flag’s colors.
SR: Who is your favorite basketball player of all time?
HH: I like Shaquille O’Neal, who is a great big man and a very powerful center; even though he is close to retiring. Tracy McGrady is also a great player. I really enjoy watching these two guys play.
SR: What was your reaction to the statements made by the Clippers announcers Ralph Lawler and Michael Smith and did you think that it was blown out of proportion?
HH: Of course, at first when I heard what they said, I was shocked. A lot of my fans, a lot of Iranians, were shocked. But they apologized to me, to my manager, to representatives of the Iranian community in Los Angeles. Fox and the Los Angeles Clippers dealt with it in the manner they thought was most appropriate, and everyone moved on.
SR: What is next for you?
HH: Our team is playing very well. I hope we can make the playoffs this year. I just hope to practice hard and get some more opportunities to play. We will see what happens in the second half of the season.
Also, we will do more Haddadi Hoops Summer Camps for children this summer. Last September, we did one weekend in Los Angeles. We had more than 120 kids! This year, I will try to do one camp in San Francisco, one in Toronto, one in New York, one in Washington, D.C., and one in L.A. also.
Finally, there will be the FIBA Basketball World Championships in August and September. The U.S. team is in our group so it will be exciting to play them. I hope Iran plays well and we can get some good wins.
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