Is Africa the NBA's final frontier?

Thirteen summers ago, Patrick Ewing was fighting for the future of his fellow NBA players as the president of the players union during the 1999 lockout.

This weekend, with another NBA lockout in place, his concerns have gone more global. Ewing, now an assistant coach for the Orlando Magic, has joined forces with fellow former Georgetown centers Alonzo Mourning and Dikembe Mutombo in fighting for the basketball future of a continent.

The trio is leading a contingent visiting South Africa as part of the NBA's "Basketball Without Borders" program.

"There's definitely a lot of potential here," Ewing said in a phone interview Friday from Johannesburg. "There's a lot of young talent. Some of it is raw. But with hard work, anything is possible for them."

Africa may be the game's final frontier. The continent has produced some huge NBA stars, including Hakeem Olajuwon and Mutombo. And now, a new generation of NBA African players is emerging with Sudan's Luol Deng, who averaged 17.4 points a game for the Bulls last season, being joined by two players from the Congo, Serge Ibaka of Oklahoma City and Christian Eyenga of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Still, the number of Africans to make it to the NBA is paltry in terms of potential exports considering that the continent has over 1 billion people.

"There's a lot of potential future Dikembes out there," Mourning said. "But they haven't been taught the fundamentals of the game. And they haven't been taught the skills to promote progress in the game."

This weekend's event in Johannesburg included 60 of the most talented players in the continent under the age of 18. The players were from 24 countries. Many of the campers have never traveled out of their native countries, and the NBA and its sponsors foot the bill for all their costs. The campers also participate in daily life skills sessions in which NBA legends speak about the importance of education, leadership and HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention.

Mutombo noted that with there being 600 million people in Africa under the age of 15, it is crucial not to lose that generation, to reach out to the youth and teach them not just about the game but about how to become better citizens and do what they can to better themselves, including getting an education.

Ewing, who was born in Jamaica, agreed.

"We want to let them know that we came from a situation and areas like they did, and made it," Ewing said. "Making it doesn't mean going to the NBA. It can be college. They have to make the most of their opportunity."