In Africa, NBA’s investment and ambition far outstrip other US pro leagues

KIGALI, Rwanda — Comedian Dave Chappelle, Toronto Raptors President Masai Ujiri and former National Basketball Association All Star Luol Deng all appeared at the Basketball Africa League championship weekend. The three-day stretch in Rwanda’s capital city was supposed to mirror…

Dealing with diabetes: African prospect balances condition with NBA dreams

SALY, Senegal – At halftime of Game 1 of the NBA finals, Seifeldin Hendawy paused mid-conversation and reached into his pocket. The NBA Academy Africa star, watching the game on TV,  pulled out an insulin pen, a necessity for managing…

Watch an NBA Finals Game with Africa’s top basketball prospects

SALY, Senegal – Players from eight different countries stepped onto the TD Garden floor for Game One of the NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks on Thursday night. None was from Africa. But more than 3,700 miles…

African-born NBA players focus on advancing the game

At the tip-off of the 2024 NBA season, team rosters included 19 African-born players. There have been 67 NBA players from the continent across the league’s history. The continent has produced two NBA MVPs, Hakeem Olajuwan in 1993 and Joel…

Basketball is booming in Africa, but court access lags

KIGALI, Rwanda — On a pleasant June morning with the sun peeking behind the Rwandan clouds, two basketball courts tucked away from the bustling Kigali streets offer a brief respite. Enclosed by murals, trees and a chain-link fence, Club Rafiki…

Baltimore to Angola: Nick Faust’s Basketball Journey

KIGALI, Rwanda –Nick Faust was a high school basketball star in Baltimore 13 years ago.  On Saturday, he scored a team-leading 24 points in a championship game over 7,000 miles from his hometown Baltimore neighborhood. Faust led the pro team…