NBA, FIBA to launch Basketball Africa League, Obama to have a role

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The NBA's first professional basketball league outside of North America will begin in Africa next January, the NBA and the sport's global governing body announced on Saturday, on the eve of the 68th NBA All-Star Game.

Basketball Africa League (BAL) will feature 12 club teams from across Africa, according to the NBA and the International Basketball Federation (FIBA).

Qualification tournaments will get underway later this year to identify the 12 teams that would represent several African countries, including Angola, Egypt, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia.

No more than two teams from the same country will play in the league.

Meanwhile, former U.S. President Barack Obama, an avid basketball fan, is expected to have hands-on involvement, whose role has yet to be determined.

Screenshot from Barack Obama's Twitter

He tweeted that “Glad to see this expansion into Africa because for a rising continent, this can be about a lot more than what happens on the court.”

Obama spoke on a video that was shown during the event where the league was announced in Charlotte, North Carolina.

“Through sport, if you put in effort, you will be rewarded,” Obama said.

The NBA has a long history in Africa and 13 African-born players were on opening-night rosters.

More than 80 current and former players from Africa or with direct family ties to the continent, including Hall of Famers Hakeem Olajuwon (Nigeria) and Dikembe Mutombo (Democratic Republic of Congo), have competed in the NBA.

Moreover, FIBA and the NBA also plan to provide financial support and resources to continuing development of African basketball, including training for players, coaches and referees and infrastructure investment.

(With input from AFP and Reuters)

(Cover photo shows NBA Commissioner Adam Silver announcing the news to the media in Charlotte, North Carolina, February 16, 2019. /VCG Photo)