Having a ball

It felt great to talk about the other sport that’s close to my heart with two legit National Basketball Association experts a few days ago in Pasig City.

In town were ESPN’s NBA insiders Brian Windhorst and Tim MacMahon, who took time out to have lunch with some local sportswriters.

Windhorst started covering LeBron James back in high school and is ESPN’s point man on the East Coast, while MacMahon is the go-to guy in the West. They were here to help launch the NBA on Disney+ Philippines as part of The Hoop Collective World Tour, with the regular season set to tip off in a couple of weeks. Before Manila, they were in Australia. After us, Macau.

It was terrific to discuss ball matters with them simply because of their reputation. Brian has written books on LeBron. Tim did the same on Luka Doncic, one of my favorites.

Our lunch with Windy and Tim lasted about an hour and a half, and they didn’t just talk NBA. They asked about Philippine sports, including the recent Asian Games in Nagoya, Alex Eala and Manny Pacquiao.

Since I’m also fascinated by international basketball, I asked them about Arvydas Sabonis, the tower of power back when there was still a Soviet Union. Tim agreed Sabonis would have starred in so many more games if not for injuries, adding that the 7-foot-3 center could still do things even when he wasn’t in top form.

“Remember what he did to (David) Robinson and Team USA in ‘88 in Seoul,” I butted in.

Just listening to them talk about the NBA was a delight — you knew you were in the company of the league’s A-Team.

Apart from boxing, basketball has always been my other love. I may not be as well-versed on today’s players, but I know the league’s biggest stars, and it was enjoyable to be in the same room with fellows who cover LeBron and Doncic.

Up to now, I’m enamored with the international game because growing up, I read so much about them. In my spare time I watch old — not necessarily vintage — films on YouTube, gushing over the ending of the US-USSR final in Munich in 1972. I also enjoy watching clips of Oscar Schmidt’s heroics in the 1987 Pan Am Games in Indianapolis, and how the Soviets beat Robinson and company in Seoul.

Of course, I’m enthralled watching the late Drazen Petrovic during his years with Cibona Zagreb, the same squad that walloped the Philippines, 111-86, in the World Interclub in Girona, Spain.

Hey, wait a sec. I think I’m slightly veering away from the topic.

Didn’t I tell you guys I love the game of hoops?