Neo Mothiba - The 'BFG' of DSG

The first time that I met Neo Mothiba was in 2007 at the African Games in Algeria. I was a little girl of seven years old, growing up in a faraway country where my father was posted as a diplomat, and Neo was part of the South African national basketball team. The first thing I remember was hearing about the appearance of a team from South Africa… my heart was swollen with pride for people from a country which I had never known but felt an attachment to. I was immediately drawn to the South African players from all the different sports, but the people that fascinated me the most were the basketball players. The first time that I saw Neo, I couldn’t believe my eyes – was it even possible for a man so tall to exist? I was touched at the kindness that he showed me – simply a curious child on the side line – even in our brief greeting. I have always had a lot of respect for people who treat those who they can gain nothing from well; a trait which started with how Neo treated me. Soon, I was sitting courtside at each game that they played, South African flag in hand, waving it with a cheerful patriotism at these magnificent sportspeople. But alas, all good things must come to an end, and in the blink of an eye, they were gone; packed up and left, far across the continent to South Africa.

In 2008, I crossed paths with Neo again. Upon my family’s return to South Africa, I was thrilled to realise that he worked as Director of Sport for the Junior School at St Mary’s DSG, where I was enrolled. As the years went by, I came to know him more as ‘Coach Neo’, who taught me PE, and less as the incredible basketball player that I had initially met. The thought of the African Games in years prior was shelved in the back of my mind. It was only when my mom suggested that I interview him a few weeks ago, that a chapter of my childhood was reopened, and I fully realised for the first time how incredible Neo Mothiba actually is. With a professional sports career spanning over 14 years, and having been captain of the South African basketball team for 13 of those years, he is truly a giant, both in stature and in name, to South African basketball.

Neo didn’t begin his sports career with basketball though. In 1994, whilst still in school, he made his name in first team cricket. Basketball was his younger brother’s forte, but on one of Neo’s days off, fate led him to the basketball court, where he came to watch his brother at practice. As the saying goes, what is meant to be will always find a way, and soon, Neo too found himself on the court. As one of four children, he recalls that his whole family was very sporty, so he grew up in a culture of being active. “My sister played national team volleyball, my brother played soccer for the national U19 team, and my oldest sister has a black belt in karate. Also, my mother played netball, and my father played soccer professionally,” he tells me. Neo accredits his family with giving him the will to succeed no matter what. “I grew up seeing all of these adversities and how my family actually managed to get through all of these obstacles, that to me, it was a no-brainer; if you face a challenge, you give it your all. Even if you fail, you know that you’ve done the best that you can.”

When Neo was in grade 11, one of his friends who was playing basketball competitively at the time, received a scholarship to WITS. “My mother raised all four children by herself, so I knew that there would not be enough money for everyone. When my friend got his scholarship, I began to see a chance to further my studies. That’s why I started playing basketball as hard as I could.” When Neo first realised the opportunities that came with playing sport professionally, he began to build his future career brick by brick, until his hard work in his discipline paved the way for his university studies.

In 2003, a difficult decision arose in Neo’s life; forcing him to choose between his education and his sport. He had completed his diploma in mechanical engineering, and was supposed to travel to Ghana for six months to complete his in-service training with Denel, when he received news that he was invited to a national training camp after making it into the South African basketball team. “I had to make a choice. I said to myself that I have my whole life to study, but the national team was an opportunity of a lifetime.” He has never looked back.

Neo has travelled the world extensively with the South African national basketball team to take part in different competitions, and he cites his first international trip to South Korea as his favourite. “It was in 2003 for the World Student Games, and obviously it was just a big ‘wow’ for me, to be in a setup with professional players. It was a really big thing for a boy who comes from Soshanguve!” Neo also says that the African Championships, held in Algeria in 2007, was a highlight of his career. Prior to the event, they were training in Egypt, where he injured himself by twisting his ankle. Despite not being able to prepare as well as he wanted to, he still played with his team during the championships. “I think at the end of the day, how you face adversities is just a matter of personal character. Some people will take challenges by lying down and playing dead, but I’ve never been that kind of person.” I have always believed that the true judge of somebody’s character lies in their reaction to difficult circumstances, and Neo proves that the world is changed not by an opinion, but by an example.

With regards to traveling, Neo says that the best part for him was to be able to see life off of the beaten track; how people all over the world lived. When he travels a new part of the world, he is not interested in following the guide set out by the brochure. He wants to experience life in that place as the natives do, whether it spending time in the favelas of Brazil, or opting to stay in a little village in Spain instead of a hotel in Barcelona.

At the moment, Neo is a full time coach for the TUKS High Performance Centre (HPC) as well as working for St Mary’s DSG. He further has his own company called ‘Beyond the Arc Consulting’, which cultivates the art of learning through sport. The core motivation was Neo’s belief that an active body leads to an active mind, and he tries to show children the value of sport in their lives at an early age. ‘Beyond the Arc’ does much more than basketball, also focusing on mentorship, indigenous games, and other physical activities that encourage children to be active. “Some kids might be willing to just get up and go,” Neo says, “but especially now, there are those who unfortunately don’t have the time because they need to take care of their brothers and sisters. It’s about going to the elders and talking to them about the importance of sport, asking their permission for the children to participate.” Through this venture, Neo makes a huge difference to so many children in rural areas around South Africa, giving them a positive outlet. Neo tells me that the development of the American National Basketball Association (NBA) offices in South Africa marks a major growth of basketball in the country, as young talent is now being scouted and given channels in which to develop; chances that were not available to him when he first embarked on his career.

“I believe that God put me on this planet to do something other than being myself. Every time a kid looks up to me, I see that I have a duty.” Neo’s words lift my heart. In a world of corruption and people who only look out for themselves, there is Neo Mothiba – who wants only to share the passion that he has nurtured for his sport. Neo is a man with a huge heart, asking nothing in return, never talking about his immense achievements, but channelling all of his energy into doing good for others. This world is lucky to have him.