The NBA Africa Game 2018 was a smashing success. The association achieved its goal of furthering basketball in the continent and has even laid the ground for a possible Pan-Africa league in the near future.

The icing on the cake was when a bunch of kids called out Philadelphia 76ers big man Joel Embiid, one of several NBA players who was asked to participate in the exhibition contest, during an in-game break.

The kids were pre-selected by the organizers, and asked by the host which NBA star they would want to play against. One of the kids enthusiastically called out Embiid, who himself seemed taken by surprise by the challenge.

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Embiid was a great sport and obliged. Playing four against one, the Cameroonian proved no match to the energetic kids. A made basket from mid-range was all it took to defeat Embiid. The shot earned the kids a cool $15,000, which is going to be donated to the Nelson Mandela Foundation.

Embiid and the rest of the NBA stars that took part in the NBA Africa Game should be making their way back to U.S. soil by now. It surely was a great experience for them to reconnect with their roots, while at the same time contribute in promoting the game of basketball in Africa.

With the success of this year's edition, it would be surprising if next year's NBA Africa Game is not as big, or even bigger in magnitude.