This year’s charity basketball game features mayors from three cities

The annual charity basketball game will be held today, Friday (Feb. 6), in Dearborn, featuring Hamtramck’s mayor and other officials representing four cities.

By Alan Madlane
Omar Thabet works for the City of Hamtramck as its Administrative Officer, but his work for the community doesn’t stop there.
For the past several years, he has also been heavily involved in helping put together the annual charity basketball game, this year once again being played in the U of M Dearborn, at that city’s Fieldhouse.
We wanted to know a bit more about the event, so we checked in on Omar with a handful of questions.

The Review: So, let’s start at the top – you’ve done these charity basketball games before; just give us the back story on how you first got the idea for them, who you partnered with to make it all happen, how many years this makes now, etc.

Omar Thabet: This idea came from wanting to give back to the countries in need (for example: Palestine, Yemen, Sudan and Lebanon), especially during the month of Ramadan.
We wanted to find a way to raise money for those countries by also doing something we love, and we wanted to bring the community here together. That’s when the idea of a charity basketball game came to light.
This is our fifth year doing this event. We teamed up with CRSD (Concerned Residents of South Dearborn) to make these events happen.

The Review: Is it run as a non-profit?
Thabet: No, it is not.

The Review: About this upcoming game: when is it, where is it and how much will it cost to get in?
Thabet: The game will be played on Friday, February 6, from 6-10 p.m. Doors open at 5:30 pm. The game will be played at U of M-Dearborn Fieldhouse (4901 Evergreen Road, Dearborn, MI 48124).
It’s $10 for adults, and $5 for kids 12 and under.

The Review: It’s for charity – which charity or charities benefit, and how and why were they chosen?
Thabet: The four charities that will benefit are: the United Humanitarian Foundation (Yemen), The Amity Foundation (Lebanon), HEAL Palestine (Palestine) and the Sudanese American Physician Association (Sudan).
These charity organizations were chosen because of the years of charitable service they have performed in the specific countries that we are donating to.

The Review: Will there be refreshments included, or for purchase, or can people bring in their own?
Thabet: Food and tea will be free! We will be asking for donations, but the food and tea we will serve will be free.
The school itself has its own concession stand (as well), and they will be selling food and drinks for purchase. People cannot bring in their own food.

The Review: Why did you choose the venue you did? Any thought of the game ever being played in Hamtramck, for example maybe in Hamtramck High’s gym?
Thabet: We had a game in Hamtramck High School’s gym, two years ago. Parking was an issue with a lot of eventgoers.
Especially now that it’s a four-city tournament (Dearborn, Dearborn Heights, Warren and Hamtramck), we want to make sure the venue we choose can accommodate our attendees.

The Review: You usually have a few “celebrity” players sprinkled in; who’s committed to playing this year?
Thabet: (Hamtramck) Mayor Adam Alharbi, (Dearborn) Mayor Abdullah Hammoud, (Dearborn Heights) Mayor Mo Baydoun, Former Majority Floor Leader Abraham Aiyash.
Also, state Reprehensive Alabas Farhat, Hamtramck Interim City Manager Alex Lagrou, Halal Food Junkie, Big Hamzzz Reviews, Cheat Day with Beast Mode, Mo Baithani and others.

The Review: How do you hope this one will stack up against the previous ones, success-wise – obviously, as good or better, but: do you want to put a number on it that you’re hoping to hit?
Thabet: This year we have four cities (involved), so we hope the turnout is even larger than before. Last year, we raised a little over $33,000, so this year the goal is to raise just as much as that, if not more!

The Review: Anything else you’d like our readers to know about this charity basketball game?
Thabet: We will have free bounce houses and face painting for the kids.
There will be a half-court shot raffle challenge where you can put money into a raffle. If you get selected and the shooter makes the shot, they win two courtside tickets to a Detroit Pistons game. Plenty of local business gift cards will be given away as well.

The Review: Thanks for your time, Omar, and best of luck raising some serious cash for your cause.
Posted Feb. 6, 2026