Though the world has caught up immensely since the United States Dream Team was introduced in 1992, international competition is still relatively a breeze for USA basketball, especially in the preliminary rounds.
Today, USA basketball finished preliminary round play with a 95-71 victory over Ukraine, giving them a perfect 5-0 record in group play and extending their international win streak to 59 games.
So what has become viral concerning USA basketball is not their play, but their presence during a custom — a tradition if you will, of one of their opponents.
Above we see the Tall Blacks’ of the New Zealand Basketball Team performing their traditional haka dance just before their match with the USA as U.S. players look on. The video has now amassed over two million views after being published just two days ago.
The Haka
The Haka originates from the heritage of the Maori people of ancient New Zealand.
Haka is deeply rooted in Maori legend and folklore. For instance, the Haka was said to be derived from the sun god Ra.
Generally, the Haka is considered an ancestral war cry, or challenge, that is performed in unison by a group. The Haka is also suggested to be used as an intimidation factor.
Today the dance is oft-performed by New Zealand rugby teams, as well as basketball teams.
