Rabat – During today’s much-anticipated opening press conference today ahead of the Basketball African League (BAL) Sahara Conference’s kickoff in Rabat, NBA Africa CEO Clare Akamanzi Africa emphasized the role of Morocco as a solid destination for African basketball.
Akamanzi spoke of the important role Morocco has historically played as an essential destination in hosting both men’s and women’s club competitions over the past ten years.
“Over the past decade, Morocco has cemented its status as a vital hub for African basketball, consistently hosting a diverse range of men’s and women’s club tournaments across the country,” she said.
This comes as Basketball Africa League continues to establish itself as one of the premier professional competitions on the continent, with a solid partnership between FIBA and the NBA is both a combination of high-level expertise and a clear ambition to raise the standard of basketball on the continent.
“More than just a simple competition, the BAL is the culmination of a structured FIBA program. Our development through competitions such as the U16 and U18 games, as well as clubs and nations—notably the AfroCan, the Women’s Basketball Africa League,” Akamanzi argued.
Morocco hosts this competition for the second time, reaffirming the country’s commitment to deepening its presence in the creation of a self-sustaining ecosystem for basketball to thrive across the continent.
“We see enormous potential to continue growing basketball – including right here in Morocco,” Akamanzi said. “This is why we are continuing to explore new financial models that can support sustainable, long-term development in Africa – we are very encouraged by the increasing interest across various markets in this new financial model and the future structure we see emerging.”
As the BAL is now bearing fruit, its goal continues to be to allow for the elevation of basketball in Africa while creating new opportunities for talented young players to thrive.