To right the wrongs of the riots and save British basketball – Pops Mensah-Bonsu

Last year’s riots in London, as well as the copycat events that followed, struck a chord with everyone in Britain.

For Pops Mensah-Bonsu, seeing the images of Tottenham High Road on the television with cars set ablaze, and shop windows smashed with looters pouring out with goods, it wasn’t just his heart hit; the scenes he witnessed were of his childhood home.

Growing up in Tottenham, Mensah-Bonsu, who has helped Great Britain fight their way into the Olympics by proving to FIBA they can competitively stand alongside the best nations since 2006, was able to lay down the foundations for the rest of his life by picking up a basketball and playing locally.

The London test events, featuring basketball, were being held last year around the time of the appalling acts carried out by members of the public following the death of Mark Duggan. He was a local Tottenham man, shot by police who were attempting to arrest him on suspicion of planning an attack and of being in possession of a handgun. The community were shocked by the events and soon protests began around the matter. Alongside the general downbeat feeling of high levels of unemployment across areas such as Tottenham, and anger directed at the government over many of the problems facing the country at the time, and some could argue still are now.

The horror that unfolded at a furniture store in Croydon, which remains as the lasting image of what went on, catching light like in an instant for all the world to see via social media and news channels; so did the riots in other cities the next night. Liverpool, Birmingham, Manchester – all were faced with incidents, until the government stepped in to crack down on the problem, and did so quickly to prevent it becoming uncontrollable.

Whilst in the past year the build up to the Olympics and the celebrations of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee have helped restore some pride back into what it means to be British, especially with these events being so London-centric, it isn’t quite as simple for Pops to forget the damage that was done. It was supposed to be the final interview, if not the final question I could ask, on Tuesday afternoon before the GB forward had to go finish practice with the rest of his team-mates ahead of tonight’s historic clash against the number one ranked side in the world and reigning World and defending Olympic champions, the USA.

However, little did I realise how passionate an answer I would receive from him when I asked if seeing a man such as himself, from Tottenham, could inspire and change the perceptions of those, not just from his area but elsewhere too, who saw what happened on those terrible nights?

“I’m really glad you asked that question, it’s probably the best question I’ve had asked since I’ve been here. That’s been my approach coming into these games, since what happened this time last year.

“Not a lot of people know that I grew up behind Tottenham police station, I could look into the offices and seeing that [the rioting] was really eerie; like an out of body experience.” he said, with a tone in his voice that when remembering what went on, it still sickens him to this day.

Basketball was something he believes saved him from making wrong decisions, like some made during the nights that parts of the capital burned: “Obviously people know I’m from North London, but they don’t know how close to home that hit. I imagined myself being there; I was 13, 14, walking the streets of London, and if somebody didn’t take me under their wing and give me some guidance, I could’ve easily been one of those kids.

“In a situation like that you can’t really blame the kids all the way. I feel that if, like myself, they had some direction, some mentorship, leadership in their lives; they wouldn’t have been in that situation.” “I think the government could do more, the older generation could do more, we as people could do more. I felt like I, and the British team, British sports in general have a responsibility to these young kids.”

The intonation in his voice has changed from disgust to anger at this point, but he keeps himself calm going back to how he remembers the events that took place, and eventually settles again. Despair though is the next emotion that he conveys.

“I was actually with the team, at Brunel University, just getting ready for the test event. Every morning when we woke up it was like – what city did they take over today? – it really hurt my heart to see this.”

The riots were quelled after only a few short days, and the rebuilding process in those affected communities, both structurally and socially, began soon after that. However, the former NBA star knew he had a responsibility, being from that area to make his own impact, in a way in which only he knows best.

Outlining how now his quest for gold has turned from a personal one, to what he wants to become a shared triumph, not just for the sport, but for his family, friends and neighbours: “I felt like once I saw that, that the Olympics was bigger than myself and the players on this team. We’re playing for the future of Great Britain, the future of British basketball, the future of some of this younger generation. I feel like their lives could go one of two ways, but if we can appeal to them then maybe they can find something to latch on to, get that mentorship, get that leadership and get the guidance that they need to make something of themselves.

So where does it start, and how does it start for those who were caught up by the events of last summer? Pops went on to talk about how his career began: “I started playing basketball when I was 12 or 13 years old, some in this competition were playing when they were 4 or 5 years old so I was already behind the game, but once I got to the US I felt like I had to work harder than everyone else, I couldn’t be the same as them. For me to excel at that sport, I had to work harder and do things differently and I was able to get to the highest level, I’m still at the highest level.

“I remember watching the last Olympics, cycling and rowing, they had so much success and kids came out and you saw them wanting to get new bikes and trying to get into rowing. I feel like if they watch British basketball, it could attract every kid; it’s a fun sport, you’re running around, use your hands, if you get to see a game, like on Thursday, you’ll see a lot of dunks, three-pointers, a lot of big guys and things that you wouldn’t expect them to be doing and think its exciting enough to make a young kid pick the ball up and start playing the sport.”

It is through that last quote in which an athlete has the ability to leave his or her own Olympic legacy. For many of the squad, who will have seen the anguish that Pops endured in witnessing the riots, they could not only create individual legacies, but a collective one if they even get out of the group stage during the Games.

Knowing that the state of the game currently at a club level in Britain isn’t seen by many as a strong product to challenge the leagues seen in mainland Europe, let alone what is produced by the NBA in America, is it huge in the coming few weeks? Is it not in fact even more than that?

“It’s critical, it’s vital, any word you can think of that can describe the magnitude of what the Olympics is going to mean and be for us as a team and as a country, if we’re able to have some sort of success, and show the world, show the British people and younger generation that British basketball is here to stay, there is a future in British basketball.” Mensah-Bonsu says with more certainty and conviction.

However, right at the centre of it all remains one hope for him, and one lasting memory he wants people to remember his performance at his home Games for: “Hopefully when we get to the Olympics, these people will know I’m proud to say I’m from Tottenham”.

Photo courtesy of Beacon Radio