When searching for the Habitat for Humanity site in Johannesburg on Google Maps, you have to input the co-ordinates: -26.383030,27.793251. You won't find it otherwise, and even with then it's labelled 'unknown location' on an 'unknown road'.
The area will soon be known, the people who live there literally put on the map, as 10 houses are in the process of being built at the Lawley Extension site, with the help of volunteers like the NBA players who laid bricks, painted walls, and mixed cement on Thursday.
The players are in South Africa for the Basketball without Borders camp and NBA Africa game, which will be played on Saturday as the culmination of a week of events in Johannesburg and surrounds.
NBA Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, on his first NBA Africa trip, told the assembled media that it was important to have events like this because: "Oftentimes these athletes are see as being extremely wealthy, and privileged, and uncaring.
"The NBA does care, and many of the guys in the NBA come from poor circumstances, they understand these circumstances very well, so being able to do something to give back to the community makes us feel better.
"Just the fact that we're willing to show we care is important, it sends a good message, and it lets people know that they are somebody, that they count, and that we care about them."
The athletes all took to the task with enthusiasm, and while it would be disingenuous to say it was not a media opportunity, they were sincere in their enjoyment and desire to help. Speaking to the players during and afterwards, it was obvious they'd have taken part without a single camera there to film them.
