This Aussie basketball tragic quit his job and is on a mission to play street basketball in local communities around the world.
“When I travel, if I see a court, I try to join in,” Leigh says.
Two years ago, his son filmed him playing with locals at a Berlin flea market.
“When I put the highlights on Instagram, I got flooded with people saying, ‘This is so cool. If you’re ever in my city, come and play.’ I left the podcast in November last year and I’ve been to nine countries so far,” he says.
“People like to play, but when the game’s over we have a beer and learn about each other.”
Here are a few of his tour highlights so far:
Dubrovnik, Croatia
The court in Dubrovnik is set in a castle. It’s high above the city and not great for playing basketball, but it’s so scenic and a must-visit court. I played there in the afternoon as the sun set, then I got up at 6am the next day to go there and watch the sun rise. The colours of the sky over those old orange and rose rooftops was just beautiful.
Leigh shooting hoops in Dubrovnik, Croatia.
Ljubljana, Slovenia
In Ljubljana, I tracked down the dad of one of the world’s best players, Luka Doncic. Saša invited me to a traditional Slovenian barbecue dinner and it was one of the wildest nights I’ve ever had. After a few beers, the ball came out and we were dribbling and throwing it around the restaurant – one of those experiences I believe only happen when you travel.
Leigh with Saša Doncic in Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Frankfurt, Germany
I’ve been really impressed with the standard of basketball everywhere. The most enjoyable part of what I’ve been doing is that girls feel involved. It’s not just the basketball, it’s the travelling, companionship and friendship. In Frankfurt, a woman called Marija turned up to the court and started pulling all these tricks. In Livingstone in Zambia, Sonia hustled and played super-hard and impressive. If the girls come out to play, they’re going to hold their own.
Leigh Ellis with Marija in Frankfurt.
Lusaka, Zambia
I came away from Lusaka, the capital of Zambia, feeling inspired that I could do things there to help people by playing basketball. Their smiles and the way people lit up when they got free official NBA merchandise was inspiring. I felt good that I was making a contribution, but also overwhelmed as it doesn’t help people who don’t have running water.
Follow Leigh’s travels on Instagram or YouTube.
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See also:
9 reasons to quit your job and go travelling
99 ultimate places to travel around the world
I’ve been travelling for 30 years, here’s my 5 top tips