Page 19 - Nile Explorer Issue 006

Photo: History was be made when four clubs tooke to the oor in Yaounde for the rst Semi-Finals of the
'Elite 16' of Basketball Africa League (BAL).

Africa has produced some of the most He was put in the Basket Ball Hall of the necessary infrastructure including
successful players in the United States of fame. Others are Dikembe Mutombo of planning, training facilities and
America and Europe since 19th century the Democratic Republic of Congo personnel, hunt for talent and
when the game started in Massachusetts (DRC), Masai Ujiri, Serge Ibaka(DRC), identi cation of new players. Basket
in USA. Although Basketball is not as Pascal Siakau(-Cameroon), Luol Deng, Ball development is generally facing
popular as football, many Africans, and AG onunoby of Nigeria. numerous other challenges such as
including adults and children are poor administration, lack of resources,
increasingly developing interest in the According to Adam Silver, an NBA sound management structures,
sport since the formation of o cial, NBA is prepared to use Basket constitution, lack of coaching sta and
international federation of amateur Ball as the engine of economic growth basketball kits. Besides, protracted civil
Basket Ball was formed in 1932. Basket to create new opportunities in sports, war has hindered development of
Ball keen to inculcate social values such media, and technology in Africa. ese basket ball especially in rural areas
as personal responsibility, perseverance, developments are already evident in where insecurity is rampant.
team work, respect for rules, learning to Angola, Kenya, Egypt, Senegal, South
compete and commitment has won the Africa, Morocco, Nigeria and Tunisia It is in South Sudan where Basket Ball
heart and minds among the youth in forming the core of Basket Ball Africa has taken a turn for the better with the
Africa. Indeed, it is arguably one of the league. In collaboration with retirement of Luol Ajou Deng from
fastest growing sport in Africa, international Basket Ball Federation NBA in the USA a er playing for 15
according to some of the Basket Ball (IBF), It shall conduct quali cation years. Before his retirement, he had
analysts in Africa. In the recent past, tournaments and lay structures for the undertaken to revamp and rebuild
e NBA announced that it would set Basket Ball while bringing di erent South Sudan Basket Ball national team
up and help run a 12-team league in units under one umbrella. NBA Africa to make it internationally competitive.
Africa otherwise known as the Basket was o cially launched in 2010 to grow rough his Luol Foundation, he has
Ball League Africa, the rst one outside the game of Basket Ball through nurtured young players to be
the USA and Canada in partnership building courts and cultivating top
with FIBA. e move follows years of talent in Africa. Amadou Fall from
lobbying from African Basket Ball stars Senegal was named the new president of
who have retired from professional the new Africa league. e development
Basket Ball in Europe and North of Basket Ball in Africa has largely been
America and had highly successful through deployment of sports envoys
Basket Ball careers. Among the notables and use of basketball stars of African
include Hakeem Alajuwon, who was ancestry to popularize the game. e
rst dra ed by Houston Rockets and new National Basket Ball league is not
later went on to become one of the entirely without challenges. Planning
celebrated Basket Ball star and manager. for the new league require putting down

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