Beijing, China- 22 June 2001.


Even the last emperor of China never would have imagined the athletic show put on by a pair of NBA stars at the Imperial Ancestral Temple area of the Forbidden City in Beijing on Friday.

Jerome Williams lifting the hand of our young fan who made a three pointer in acknowledgement of fans applause.

Antawn Jamison of the Golden State Warriors and Jerome Williams of the Toronto Raptors teamed up with players Jiao Jian and Zhang Yuan Song from the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) to treat 1,500 specially invited young Chinese fans to a wide-ranging demonstration of basketball skills.

The first major sporting event ever held in the Forbidden City, the demonstration was capped off by a team game of "H-O-R-S-E," including an impromptu slam-dunk competition between the two NBA forwards.

The two-hour demonstration highlighted the Jitong NBA-CBA Friendship Tour, a six-day series of basketball events organized by the NBA and supported by the CBA which includes coaching clinics, high school player clinics, and other activities organized jointly by the NBA and CBA to advance the sport of basketball in China. The Tour represents the first ever on-ground event organized and managed by the National Basketball Association in China.

"We're making history here, and I'm so happy to be a part of it," commented Jerome Williams. "I hope we come back here next year too." Mr. Kuang Lubin, Deputy Secretary-General of the CBA agreed: "We need to hold this sort of event at least once a year with the NBA. We are only at the beginning stages of our cooperation with the NBA to further develop basketball in China."

Antawn Jamison clowning around for the camera.

Chinese Olympic hero, gymnast Li Ning, a holder of 4 Olympic Gold medals as well as representatives from the CBA, and event title sponsor Jitong, and sponsors Northwest Airlines, Spalding, China Hoop magazine, World Sports News, and China Travel Service also attended the public demonstration.

Earlier in the day, Antawn Jamison and Jerome Williams visited the Great Wall of China. The experience was an eye-opener for both NBA players. They even managed to shoot some hoops at an outdoor basketball court at the foot of the Great Wall. Jamison was awed by the sight of the Great Wall, and said, "This visit to the Wall certainly ranks as the number one experience in my life."

Jerome Williams declared, "I am a man now after walking the Great Wall," as he completely agrees with an old Chinese saying - "You are a man after conquering the Great Wall."