NBA Legend Clyde Drexler was holding court in the last stop of NBA Madness in SM Mall of Asia, a huge smile stamped on his face. It’s a grin local NBA fans have become familiar with, as the past week brought the hall of famer through a whirlwind tour of school and mall activities, giving people a chance to get up close and personal with the Olympic gold medalist.  

“There's no reason why there's no Filipino point guard in the NBA right now!" Clyde proclaimed to the packed SM MOA crowd. And it definitely isn’t faint praise. During NBA Madness, Clyde witnessed the dedication local players put into the sport of basketball.

Consider the Clyde Drexler Challenge, which pit players against a basketball-themed course. The course tested each player’s fundamentals and skills, such as passing, shooting and rebounding. The bar was set pretty high during the Saturday stop in SM Southmall, but during the finals at the SM Mall of Asia on Sunday, the contestants really let loose. Jordan Rios completed the course in an astounding 33 seconds and bagged the top prize, a whopping Php 50,000 in cash. You can bet even an NBA champion like Clyde was psyched to see this impressive display of hoops maneuvers.

The Clyde Drexler Challenge and the Team Festival Mall Tour was just the tip of the iceberg. The past days had its own share of show-stopping, heart-warming moments. During the Friday stop, Clyde took part in an NBA Cares activity in the Skydome of SM North Edsa. There he read for a group of kids, provided some basketball mentorship and some inspirational advice for the kids. NBA Madness also took the excitement to packed crowds in Arellano University, Philippine Christian University and St. Dominic College of Asia.  

Clyde wasn’t the only star of the show, of course. The Portland Trailblazers and Orlando Magic dancers brought the house down on more than one occasion. During the SM Southmall stop, the babes from Orlando Magic dance team even coached and presided over a fierce dance-off between local kids. All this excitement came to a heady climax as NBA Madness took the Search for the Team Spirit School Cheerdance Champion to SM MOA on Sunday.

Topping-off the spectacle of hoops and cheerdancing was an interactive viewing party at both SM Southmall and Mall of Asia. Clyde provided commentary on the historic All-Star game of 1992. In it, Clyde played alongside and against such luminaries as Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson. Clyde looked back in fondness and provided valuable insight into the mindset and internal workings of an NBA champion. He also took time to reflect on the experience of jumping feet-first into basketball mania Philippines-style.

"We've received nothing but love here. The NBA and the Philippines... what a combination!" the legend enthused.