Faith Nyasuguta
In a transformative moment for East Africa’s basketball, the National Basketball Association (NBA) has inaugurated its office in Nairobi, Kenya, signaling a new era for the sport in the region.
The launch event, held at Sankara Hotel in Nairobi, witnessed the presence of distinguished figures including five-time NBA champion Ron Harper, NBA Africa Chief Executive Officer Victor Williams, and Basketball Africa League (Bal) President Amadou Gallo Fall.
The esteemed gathering also included NBA Kenya Senior Director and Country Operations Lead Michale Finley, NBA Africa Head of Basketball Operations Frank Traore, and Kenya Basketball Federation President Paul Otula. The occasion was marked not only by the establishment of the NBA office but also by a series of impactful engagements throughout the day.
Earlier, Ron Harper had paid a courtesy call to Kenyan President William Ruto at the State House in Nairobi, emphasizing the significance of the initiative. Subsequently, he conducted a basketball clinic at Sabis International School in Runda, attended by 70 aspiring basketballers and even graced by the presence of US Ambassador to Kenya, Margaret Whitman.
President Ruto expressed optimism about the NBA’s presence, describing it as a pivotal moment for the sport’s development in the region. He highlighted the potential for Kenyan youth to pursue professional basketball, stating, “Professional basketball promises to enhance talent commercialization and transform the lives of our youth.”
During the basketball clinic, Ron Harper spoke to the press, underscoring Africa’s immense basketball potential. He expressed his aspiration to witness players from the continent, including East Africa, making their mark in the NBA.
Harper envisioned a future where African players could emerge from junior academies and become prominent figures in the NBA within the next five to ten years.
Egypt, Senegal, South Africa and Nigeria are the only other African countries hosting NBA offices.
Victor Williams shed light on why Kenya was chosen as the location for the NBA office, emphasizing the country’s substantial basketball potential, making it a priority market.
He disclosed that the presence of the office would lead to close collaboration with the national government to actualize the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on September 22.
Michale Finley emphasized the need for world-class basketball facilities in Africa and expressed optimism about the partnership with various organizations, including the French Development Agency. The goal is to enhance the solid school basketball structure in the country and kickstart initiatives in the first quarter of 2024.
Amadou Gallo Fall urged the Kenya Basketball Federation (KBF) to invigorate the local league, envisioning Kenyan teams qualifying for the Basketball Africa League (Bal) in the near future. He expressed a willingness to host Bal events in Kenya with the establishment of a proper basketball arena.
US Ambassador Margaret Whitman hailed the NBA’s presence as significant for the relationship between Kenya and the US.
She acknowledged the NBA’s commitment to building 6,000 basketball courts for Kenyan youth, expressing confidence that the collaboration would revive basketball as a major sport in Kenya, starting with youth engagement.
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