The NBA Games returned to Abu Dhabi and with it, yet again, so did some famous faces.
Just like last year, celebrities from around the world flew into the UAE capital to watch the two pre-season games played between the Dallas Mavericks and Minnesota Timberwolves at Etihad Arena. Both games were swept by Minnesota. Here’s a look at which A-listers were in attendance.
Black Panther star Michael B Jordan was at both games, spotted in the front row. During Fan Appreciation Day, he even competed in a shooting contest (and won) against Timberwolves star Kyrie Irving.
However, Jordan wasn’t the only one courtside as rapper DaBaby was spotted sitting next to comedian Steve Harvey. Rappers Lloyd Banks and T-Pain were also in attendance.
Bollywood star Ranveer Singh, who is an NBA's Indian brand ambassador and an Experience Abu Dhabi brand ambassador, returned to Abu Dhabi for the second year for the games.
Meanwhile, some famous former footballers also made their way to Etihad Arena. Popular players such as Brazil’s Ronaldo, Italy’s Alessandro Del Piero and France’s Patrice Evra were in the building. Evra even wore a tan-coloured kandura to the second game.
Brazilian model Alessandra Ambrosio, American model and socialite Jordyn Woods and Chinese model Ming Xi and her husband Mario Ho were also courtside. As was beauty and make-up mogul Mona Kattan, who was all smiles when she was announced on the big screen.
Another popular star shown on the big screen was AJ McLean of Backstreet Boys, whose mere presence at the games helped engage the crowd to sing-alongs of I Want It That Way during breaks in play.
Brazilian UFC star Paulo Costa also stopped by. Just like last year, NBA legends were also introduced at the game, and this year’s line-up included Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Ray Allen, Gary Payton, Tim Hardaway Sr, Shawn Marion, Sam Perkins and Kenny Smith.
Khaby Lame, who has 81 million followers on Instagram and is the most followed account on TikTok, was at Etihad Arena. Lebanese songstresses Maya Diab and Elissa were also both seen strutting into the arena in style.
If you go
The flights Etihad (www.etihad.com) and Spice Jet (www.spicejet.com) fly direct from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Pune respectively from Dh1,000 return including taxes. Pune airport is 90 minutes away by road.
The hotels A stay at Atmantan Wellness Resort (www.atmantan.com) costs from Rs24,000 (Dh1,235) per night, including taxes, consultations, meals and a treatment package.
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
ICC Awards for 2021
MEN
Cricketer of the Year – Shaheen Afridi (Pakistan)
T20 Cricketer of the Year – Mohammad Rizwan (Pakistan)
ODI Cricketer of the Year – Babar Azam (Pakistan)
Test Cricketer of the Year – Joe Root (England)
WOMEN
Cricketer of the Year – Smriti Mandhana (India)
ODI Cricketer of the Year – Lizelle Lee (South Africa)
T20 Cricketer of the Year – Tammy Beaumont (England)
