When Kings shooting guard Kevin Martin dropped an Obama comparison in discussing the rock star treatment he received during his trip to Surabaya, Indonesia this week, he was quick to make it clear that this wasn't the hyperbole speaking.
"That's no exaggeration," he said.
By all indications, Martin was speaking the truth.
The treatment he received in the local newspaper was something else, so we'll start there. Talk about a warm welcome...
Click here to see front page mast
And an even warmer send-off...
Click here to see full-page ad with well-wishing notes from players
There was much more than that, too (which didn't make it in the story).
Martin, who said this experience was quite different than his 2007 trip to Africa because he was the lone player on hand, had never before inspired this kind of chaos.
"I was trying to get in the car (to head for the airport on the way out of town), and I gave some kid my jersey," Martin said by phone Thursday. "Then we left, but people were chasing (the kid) down the street for the jersey. That was a sight to see. I'd never experienced anything like that. Usually people are like, 'Hey Kevin, can I get an autograph?' These people were just wanting to touch you. That was real crazy."
There were visits to schools... (all photos courtesy of DBL Indonesia-Jawa Pos)
...visits to local landmarks like the Suramadu Bridge (the longest bridge in Southeast Asia)...
There was more to the story of Martin bringing his 75-year-old grandmother, Maxine, along as well. Some 13 years before her husband and Kevin's grandfather, Dallas, passed away last summer, he had lost his vision. Maxine was his caretaker, doing what she could to help him through every day and certainly not considering anything so extravagant as traveling abroad. She had never traveled overseas before this trip. And as if the trip wasn't joyous enough for Maxine, she was clearly touched when Martin decided to donate $15,000 (his payment from the NBA for going on the trip) to the DetEksi Basketball League. This pic (courtesy of DBL Indonesia-Jawa Pos) was taken immediately after Martin made the announcement.
Still, Azrul Ananda was as pleased with the trip as anyone. The director of the DetEksi Basketball League had the most ironic of Sacramento ties, making the presence of the Kings best player all the more meaningful. The Indonesian-born Ananda stayed in his homeland until his high school years, when he received an academic scholarship and spent his prep years in Kansas. From there, Ananda attended Sacramento State, no doubt passing me in the halls of our shared alma mater while working toward the Business Administration degree he earned in 1999.
While in Sacramento, the parents in Ananda's host family just so happened to work at Arco Arena and it didn't take long for the Kings to gain another fan.
"I'd watch Kings games all the time...(because) we got free tickets," he said. "I was a Kings fan before Chris Webber time. I was in the first playoff game ever (at the current Arco Arena) in Sacramento, in 1996. I still have the t-shirt. So Kevin coming in, it was a really really big deal for me."
As for what's next in Martin's summer, he plans on making his annual trip to work for two weeks with his personal coach, David Thorpe, beginning in late August. The fun times will be in early September, though, as Martin - who is a member of Michael Jordan's 'Team Jordan' for his brand - will be attending MJ's Hall of Fame festivities in Springfield, Mass. after he was inducted in early April. - Sam Amick
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