Photo Of The Week: @GorguiDieng shoots a step-back jumper over Pau Gasol in the first ever #NBAAfricaGame pic.twitter.com/R3RKJkq0Fb
— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) August 1, 2015
In the first NBA game ever played in Africa, the Timberwolves were well-represented on the court.
Minnesota center Gorgui Dieng put up 12 points and 11 rebounds during the Saturday morning exhibition in Johannesburg, but his Team Africa squad fell to Team World 101-97. (Click here to see the box score.)
https://instagram.com/p/52PjHQMVlZ/?taken-by=gorguidieng
Dieng, who is a Senegal native but played college basketball at Louisville, was the only Team Africa player to notch a double-double. He played nearly 20 minutes, alongside NBA players such as Luol Deng, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Nicolas Batum.
Checking in… DIKEMBE & HAKEEM! #NBAAfricaGame https://t.co/22fw2Vu7cS
— NBA (@NBA) August 1, 2015
NBA legends Dikembe Mutombo and Hakeem Olajuwon also came into the game for Team Africa for a handful of minutes, much to the delight of the crowd, the Associated Press says in its recap.
Team World was led by Chris Paul, both Pau and Marc Gasol, and Bradley Beal.
Paul and Deng shared the Minute Bol Most Valuable Player Award, Bleacher Report says.
#TeamWORLD defeats #TeamAFRICA 101-97 in the first ever #NBAAfricaGame! pic.twitter.com/vdf5lRoWbE
— NBA (@NBA) August 1, 2015
Dieng, who at 25 years old will enter his third season with the Wolves this fall, averaged 9.7 points and 8.3 rebounds per game in the NBA last year.
