Contrary to belief, basketball is not an elitist sport. In fact, in most countries, the USA included, basketball is played in the most poor of places and represents a way to escape the daily grind of poverty and squalor. These countries that have embraced the sport, in Africa for example are those countries that we view as "poor". These "poor" countries all rank above Botswana, and in fact, the best African basketball country is Angola.
Basketball is played in the streets and any concrete surface in Angola, not to mention the fact that they have very impressive infrastructure for their basketball teams. Somehow we as Batswana have attached a wrong label to the sport in Botswana, and unfortunately, this elitist view of basketball is scarring any young potential national team players who fear being labelled le-cat; the end result is the simple fact that youngsters who want to play and can play leave the sport for "more" socially acceptable sports like soccer. To begin to understand our frustration as the Botswana Basketball Association, you would have to understand the very beginnings of the sport of basketball.
