For the first time, the Basketball Without Borders Africa camp is coming to East Africa. From August 23 to 26, sixty young basketball players, both girls and boys, from 21 countries will gather in Kigali for four days of intensive training, supervised by renowned coaches from the NBA and FIBA. The goal: to find the next international basketball champions on the continent. Beyond the sporting aspect, the camp also focuses on leadership and the social impact of basketball.
Rwanda is hosting the Basketball Without Borders Africa camp, a significant first for East Africa. Following in the footsteps of countries like Egypt, Angola, Senegal, and South Africa, Kigali has welcomed 30 talented young women and 30 young men from the 23rd to the 26th August, for intensive training. This camp offers a prime opportunity for scouting and potential recruitment into the NBA.
“It’s a unique opportunity for us to go across the continent throughout the year, through a scouting network to select the best prospects on the continent. When we talk about prospects, we talk about the next generation that has the potential to become professional basketball or NBA players or WNBA players. When you see them today, they are young and raw, look up for them in the next couple of years, you’ll see them emerge and become professionals, representing their countries in national teams for example”
Kita MATUNGULU, Director of Basketball Operations at NBA Africa – DRC
Beyond the refined skills on the pitch, it is a formidable mindset that is cultivated. Coaches from the NBA and FIBA share not only their expertise but also a powerful vision. They instill leadership, discipline, and team spirit… values that extend far beyond the boundaries of the playing field and, more than talent, are the true makings of great champions.
“What happens often after these camps is that young players that come out are identified based on the skills and various opportunities presented to them. You remember, two years ago, the MVP in the NBA, Joel Embiid, came through these camps and you remember that this year Pascal Siakam is one of the players that were part of this camp. So, they have various avenues that they get to play, they expand and become competitive and at the highest level”
Kita MATUNGULU, Director of Basketball Operations at NBA Africa – DRC
Since its inception in 2001, the Basketball Without Borders program has conducted 77 camps in 51 cities spanning 33 countries and six continents, engaging over 4,500 participants from 142 nations. This marks the 21st occasion the camp has been held in Africa, serving as a platform to discover promising young basketball talent globally.
