Cameroon Calling
ESPN The Magazine|May 29, 2017

More than a decade ago, LUC MBAH a moute created an unlikely NBA path, which Joel Embiid took and pascal Siakam followed. This is the untold story of the rise of Cameroonian ball.

Jackie MacMullan
Cameroon Calling
On a sticky July afternoon in Cameroon, beads of perspiration dot a young boy’s brow as he paces outside the Yaoundé Sports Palace, plotting his entry. The expansive, asymmetric dome with a sharply pointed roof was a diplomatic gift from the People’s Republic of China, plunked into the city of Yaoundé like a spaceship from another galaxy. The 10-year-old, named Arthur, yells to the guard out front but is told that family and friends are not allowed inside. “But I want to see my brother!” the boy says, his infectious grin creasing his round, sun-kissed face. “You can just let me in, OK?” The guard betrays a hint of a smile but shoos him away.

It is the summer of 2011, and the boy’s older brother, Joel Embiid, has been invited to Luc Mbah a Moute’s prestigious basketball camp, an opportunity that baffes his family. Joel, already 6-foot-10 at age 17, is no hoops player; he’s played organized ball for three months and is scheduled to leave for Europe and train as a candidate for the national volleyball team. His father, Thomas Embiid, a colonel in the military and a former handball champion, wants his eldest son to stick with volleyball. His mother, Christine, upon returning from a shopping holiday to France and learning of Joel’s basketball audition, asks: “Have I been gone that long?”

Outside the complex, Arthur is undeterred, scaling the spiked metal fence that surrounds it, hoping in vain to sneak a bird’s-eye view. He seems to be the only Embiid excited about what is happening inside. Even Joel has doubts, his father’s words still ringing in his ears.

“Nobody plays basketball in Cameroon.”

This story is from the May 29, 2017 edition of ESPN The Magazine.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the May 29, 2017 edition of ESPN The Magazine.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM ESPN THE MAGAZINEView All
The Rape Allegation Against Cristiano Ronaldo Reveals Fame's Protective Shield
ESPN The Magazine

The Rape Allegation Against Cristiano Ronaldo Reveals Fame's Protective Shield

To be the world’s most famous athlete means Cristiano Ronaldo can appear on screens everywhere yet somehow elude the fallout from a rape allegation.

time-read
8 mins  |
April 2019
Michelle Waterson Reps More Than Herself In The Cage
ESPN The Magazine

Michelle Waterson Reps More Than Herself In The Cage

MMA is a violent and unforgiving sport. But instead of shielding her young daughter from her career, Michelle Waterson is bringing her along every step of the way.

time-read
10+ mins  |
April 2019
Kyler Murray Owns His Future In A Way No Other Rookie Has
ESPN The Magazine

Kyler Murray Owns His Future In A Way No Other Rookie Has

As Kyler Murray decides which sport will win his talents, at least one thing is clear: He owns his future in a way no other rookie has.

time-read
6 mins  |
March 2019
Kyle Kuzma Turned A Sneaker Obsession Into A Legit Business Opportunity
ESPN The Magazine

Kyle Kuzma Turned A Sneaker Obsession Into A Legit Business Opportunity

No eight-figure shoe deal? No problem. The Lakers’ Kyle Kuzma walked his own path to sneaker supremacy.

time-read
4 mins  |
March 2019
Bryce Harper Is One Very Big Deal
ESPN The Magazine

Bryce Harper Is One Very Big Deal

He’s baseball’s best-known face and now its richest player. In this exclusive interview, the All-Star talks rejecting $300 million, recruiting Mike Trout and becoming a Phillie for life.

time-read
10+ mins  |
April 2019
Kyler Murray - Will Past Be Prologue For The Possible Top NFL Draft Pick?
ESPN The Magazine

Kyler Murray - Will Past Be Prologue For The Possible Top NFL Draft Pick?

Sizable expectations? Kyler Murray’s got a few: go No. 1 in the draft, become a franchise player and—oh yeah— completely blow up decades of doctrine about short quarterbacks.

time-read
10+ mins  |
May 2019
Eternal Champions
ESPN The Magazine

Eternal Champions

Seven months ago, Brazilian underdogs Chapecoense boarded a plane to play in the game of their lives. Instead, their biggest moment turned into a tragedy no one can forget.

time-read
10+ mins  |
June 26, 2017
What's In A Name?
ESPN The Magazine

What's In A Name?

With the founder of Bikram yoga facing assault allegations, it seems simple: Studios should distance themselves from his name. But it’s not so easy.

time-read
3 mins  |
June 04, 2018
One Formula For Change
ESPN The Magazine

One Formula For Change

To inject excitement back into its races, Formula One needs more than a tweak or new twist—it needs to correct its course.

time-read
2 mins  |
June 04, 2018
All About The Goals
ESPN The Magazine

All About The Goals

U.S. national team hero and Chicago Red Stars defensive midfielder Julie Ertz shares her secrets for keeping her world-champion mindset.

time-read
1 min  |
June 04, 2018