Iran National Basketball Team Playing In NBA Rookie League

Iran National Basketball Team To Participate In NBA Summer Basketball League In U.S.

The Iran national men's basketball team will participate in the Rocky Mountain Revue summer rookie basketball league in Salt Lake City along with six NBA teams beginning July 18, according to Kermalli & Windrem of MSNBC.com. Iran's basketball team is competing in the Beijing Games, and NBA Senior VP/Basketball Communications Brian McIntyre said that the country's basketball federation "called to say it was interested in playing its national team in a game or two against an NBA team on the way to Beijing." U.S. officials "believe that the request came from the highest levels in Iran, and is part of an attempt by Iran to tamp down tensions between the two countries." Iran officials said that "hardliners in the Islamic Republic opposed the overture." However, the moderates in the country's government, who have been "trying to set something like this up for two years, ... prevailed." McIntyre said that the NBA and U.S. State Department "understand ... how important 'sports diplomacy' is to building relationships between nations." Kermalli & Windrem noted Jazz Owner Larry Miller "agreed to the contests" with the Iranian team, but there are "hints that the Jazz may not be fully embracing the love-thy-neighbor concept." On the Jazz' Web site, the team "lists the Rocky Mountain Revue participants by name" except for Iran, which is "described simply as 'the 2007 FIBA Asian Champion.'" Also, the word "Iran" is not mentioned on the team's announcement or the schedule. A Jazz official had no comment (MSNBC.com, 7/7).