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Saturday Morning Roundup: Victor Oladipo set to play in NBA Africa Game 2017 today

By Ben Gibson

ENNERDALE, SOUTH AFRICA - AUGUST 4: Victor Oladipo of Team Africa interacts with the children as part of the Basketball Without Borders Africa at the SOS Children's Village on August 4, 2017 in Gauteng province of Ennerdale, South Africa. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
ENNERDALE, SOUTH AFRICA - AUGUST 4: Victor Oladipo of Team Africa interacts with the children as part of the Basketball Without Borders Africa at the SOS Children's Village on August 4, 2017 in Gauteng province of Ennerdale, South Africa. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Indiana Pacers fans can watch Victor Oladipo play this morning in the NBA Africa 2017 Game on ESPN. The broadcast starts at 11 a.m.

It isn’t in an Indiana Pacers jersey yet, but fans can watch Victor Oladipo hit the floor in the NBA Africa Game 2017 today. The game tips off in Johannesburg, South Africa at 11 a.m. EST and you can watch the game on ESPN.

The NBA Africa Game 2017 is part of Basketball without Borders (BWB) Africa, and will be played in support of UNICEF, the Nelson Mandela Foundation and SOS Children’s Villages South Africa (SOSCVSA).

Oladipo told reporters that the trip provided a chance to go to Africa and play the game he loves. Oladipo’s parents immigrated to the United States before he was born, making him a first generation Nigerian-American.

Last month he told Pacers.com that despite this being his first visit to the continent, he is familiar with parts of the culture.

"“I’m a first-generation Nigerian-American and I pretty much know a lot about the culture,” Oladipo said of his upbringing. “I grew up on it, grew up listening to the language, the music, eating the food, things like that. So I’m very familiar with it.”"

The brand new Pacer is part of the African team, which features Luol Deng, Thabo Sefolosha, Bismack Biyombo, Clint Capela, Gorgui Dieng, Joel Embiid, Serge Ibaka, Luc Mbah a Moute, Salah Mejri, Emmanuel Mudiay, and Dennis Schroder. They will face Team World who are led by Dirk Nowitzki and Kemba Walker. The team includes Leandro Barbosa, Jaylen Brown, Wilson Chandler, DeMarcus Cousins, Andre Drummond, Courtney Lee, Kyle Lowry, CJ McCollum and Kristaps Porzingis.

Darren Collison nearly coaches team to The Basketball Tournament title

It is sometimes said the point guard is the coach on the floor in basketball, but Darren Collison was simply the coach on the bench the past few weeks.

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He nearly had his first big win as a coach as Team Challenge ALS nearly won The Basketball Tournament. According to Pacers.com, Collison’s team nearly won the $2 million prize before falling to the reigning champions, Overseas Elite.

"Collison tried his hand at coaching this year, leading his team on a Cinderella run to the championship game. They ultimately came up just short, falling 86-83 to Overseas Elite, who has now won the tournament three straight years.Team Challenge ALS was assembled by Sean Marshall, a former Boston College star who was inspired by the story of Pete Frates, his college roommate who is suffering from ALS and popularized the Ice Bucket Challenge as a way to promote awareness of the disease.Would they have won, the team planned to give $250,000 of their winnings to Frates and his family to help cover medical expenses."

Hopefully, some of that coaching ability shows up on the floor this season with the Indiana Pacers.

Next: A career year ahead for Bojan Bogdanovic?

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