Tag: Africa

Why start an entire league in Africa? …

Why start an entire league in Africa? “This is by no means an exercise of coming in and plucking away talent,” Basketball Africa League President Amadou Gallo Fall told USA TODAY Sports. “We do not want to just see African talent only being exported because there is no viable league for young players to participate at a high level. This ultimately led to the formation of the African basketball league.”

Fall said the goal of creating this …

Fall said the goal of creating this league in Africa is not only to expose and invest in the local talent there but to create an entire system that allows a league to run efficiently from the ground up. It will also create jobs within the countries. It’s been decades in the making. “When we started, we did not skip any steps … after the (Basketball Without Borders) camps raised awareness, we began being more intentional about building more opportunities,” Fall said. “The NBA is a lifestyle brand that we are going to establish in Africa.”

Former NBA head coach and 1992 “Dream …

Former NBA head coach and 1992 “Dream Team” assistant P.J. Carlesimo served as BAL combine director. “This is historic. The NBA just really wants to help develop basketball in Africa. They want to help basketball worldwide, and Africa is the place to do it,” Carlesimo said. “This is not just another league in another country. This is a partnership with the NBA. I can’t tell you how many times I went out of the country to watch one guy play. Now they (scouts) have everyone right here (at the combine). This is a win for the agents, a win for the players, a win for the league.”