Tareq Tamimi: Flying high with rise of Palestine basketball
NABLUS (Palestine) - Tareq Tamimi took inspiration from one of the best at flying high - Vince Carter. Now, he’s trying to soar along with the current rise of basketball in Palestine.
NABLUS (Palestine) - Tareq Tamimi took inspiration from one of the best at flying high - Vince Carter. Now, he’s trying to soar along with the current rise of basketball in Palestine.
28-year-old Tareq Tamimi has become a key part of the Palestine national team. He’s currently averaging 19.5 minutes per game through the FIBA Asia Cup 2021 Qualifiers, good for 4th on the team.
He’s come far from being a youngster who didn’t play a single minute in Asia Cup 2013 and even further from being a black belt in karate when he was just 12 years old. The martial art consumed too much of his time and effort, so young Tamimi started looking for some other sport to play.
"I got the black belt, the first level," Tamimi said in a recent talk with @FIBAAsiaCup live on Instagram. "After that I would have had to wait for 4 years to get the second one. So like yeah, it’s not worth it. I’m like, nah, I’m going to other sports."
After trying out different sports here and there in school, a growth spurt, and a particular video game, Tamimi finally found home.
"The one thing that got me to start playing basketball was my cousin," Tamimi said. "In 2006, he had a basketball game, it was NBA Live 2003, on his PC. Then I started seeing how the game is and how fun it is. I was watching videos, especially Vince Carter because Vince Carter was the main reason I started playing for the dunks, the excitement. At that age, I needed something to get rid of the bad energy and dunking did the job."
Up until today, dunking is still a key part of Tamimi’s game.
"The skill I’m known for is dunking, That’s what started it for me, so anything connected to dunking is my favorite [basketball move]. The one that I would like just go with it is a reverse windmill with two hands."
The joy and release of going up high and throwing is down hard is not something everyone can do, but Tamimi thinks that it’s something everyone can enjoy.
"Even the people that just watch a dunk, they can get excited."
In the early stages, that was all that basketball was for Tamimi. It was a fun game where you could play with your friends and throw down dunks like VC, but it wasn’t widely expected that there could be more to that for basketball in the country.
"Living in Palestine, sports isn’t something that you think about for the future. Maybe if you play football, but if you play basketball, it’s just a hobby."
"To [my parents], the main focus for me was to study and graduate and have a degree and then I can work and have a good life. That was the main image [of basketball] and that’s how people here think. Having a goal in basketball wasn’t something. They didn’t see it as a serious thing. They didn’t see it as something that could put food on your plate or build you a house."
Because of this, no matter how much Tamimi enjoyed playing the sport he loved, he didn’t always get full support.
"It was hard," he admitted. "Sometimes they denied me from going to play basketball to focus on my studies."
"I tried to focus on doing what I love and what made me happy because at that time, basketball was the main thing the main source of happiness for me. I tried to organize my time and do the best I can to be good in school and be good in basketball and it worked out."
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The hard work eventually paid off.
"I was excited," Tamimi said of the first time learning he had made the national team in 2013.
"It was after national team practice where they got all the players and they chose players from them. When I got home, my dad was sleeping. I woke him up and I told my family because it was really a shock for me. It was a great thing, a great feeling."
It started with keeping Tareq away from playing basketball from time to time, but eventually, the Tamimis became his biggest fan.
"They started seeing my name in the newspaper, for example, and maybe people talk about me in front of them. It started growing for them and they started to see that basketball can actually be something. I know that for all the parents, seeing their kid happy is the best thing for them and that’s one of the reasons why it grew on them and they started supporting me."
Their fandom for Tareq peaked during the first window of the FIBA Asia Cup 2021 Qualifiers back in February 2020. Palestine were scheduled to play against Sri Lanka. More important, the game was scheduled to be played in Palestine, the first time ever a FIBA event was hosted in the Palestine.
"It was a really special moment for me because it was the first time that my family came to the game and watched me live in the game. Playing in front of the Palestinian fans, it was amazing. You see the people you know, you play for your country in front of every one. That’s a blessing and that was amazing."
"My parents were hyped up because it was a national team game and it was in Palestine because outside of Palestine they can’t go. It was easy to come and watch the game. For my parents, it was special because it was the first time they actually saw me play. They never saw me play. Maybe some clips, but they never saw me play live."
With his parents watching, Tamimi recorded 5 points and 4 rebounds to help Palestine get a win on their home turf.
The home game in Jenin City was certainly a memorable moment for Tamimi. However, it doesn’t top his list of favorite instances playing for the national team.
"My favorite memory so far is when we played against Philippines and beat them in China [in Asia Cup 2015]. It was the first game and it was the holidays for us so it was special. It was the first time to play on that level at that stage. That was a great moment."
Asia Cup debutants, Palestine, famously upset favorites, the Philippines, in the opening match of Asia Cup in 2015 in a 75-73 win. It’s considered one of the biggest upsets in Asia Cup history where the underdogs took control of the perfect storm all the way to a win.
"All the players went into the game with the mindset that we were going to do the best we can and whatever comes we are good with it. Right when Jamal Abu Shamala got the block and the rebound after then went to the three point line and shot the three pointer and got it, at that moment, we knew we can beat the Philippines. I think it took the energy level from 30% maybe to 100 percent or over 100 percent."
Of course, Tamimi are hoping that Palestine can experience that rush once again by qualifying for Asia Cup 2021.
"[Qualifying] would be big. The first time was a special one, but second time would be a great one because now we saw how things will be and we know how to prepare better for it. Hopefully we can get more and achieve more in that tournament."
"I have zero doubt in my teammates. Zero doubts and expectations are high. I expect Sani score over 60 points. I expect Jamal to hit the three-point winning shot. I expect Salim to get the rebound, the last rebound, that will get us the win. Iexpect Ahmad Yunis to get the winning putback. I expect everything from my teammates and I have zero doubt in them."
The rise of Palestine basketball, which can be seen through the success of the national team and players individually, continues. For players like Tamimi who have battled their way to get things started, they’d let to see that ball keep rolling downhill.
"Especially in my hometown, basketball as I mentioned isn’t really popular. So when you have kids that want to play basketball, you make sure you teach them everything you know. Even if you don’t know that much, you just try to teach them everything you know about basketball and always encourage them even if you play against them."
"I have many moments where I play against players - good upcoming players - and I help them do some more stuff in the game when they are going up against me. I always have love for those guys and everyone trying to accomplish something and chase the dream. I’ll always grow and support and teach everything I know."
"There’s good improvement [in Palestine basketball] especially on the youth level. You have a lot of upcoming great players who are going to be great players. We just need to take care of them because they are the future of Palestine basketball."
"We are trying hard to work with it and to get the best out of it and hopefully we’re going to have many professional players."
"The mindset here is starting to change."
Make sure to check out the full talk with Tareq Tamini for more on his favorite movie, music, number and rivalry with Jordan on FIBA Asia Cup IGTV!