Giants of Africa (GOA), the youth basketball non-profit founded by NBA executive Masai Ujiri, made its first appearance in Europe this week at the adidas x ALBA Next Up Women's Basketball Tournament in Berlin. The four-day event, running 3-6 September, brings together eight teams, with GOA's side facing squads from Australia, Hungary, Indonesia, Spain, Germany, Sweden and the Czech Republic.
GOA's delegation includes eight young women drawn from five African countries — Ethiopia, Gabon, Nigeria, Senegal and Tanzania — all alumni of the organisation's annual festival programme, playing together as a combined national-alumni side. Melissa Diawakana of the Democratic Republic of Congo leads the team as head coach, with Nigerian Adetokunbo Ijomah as assistant coach and Gabonese coach Geraldine Robert also part of the technical staff.
Organisers said the trip forms part of GOA's Women's Empowerment Programme, described as a core pillar of its gender-equity work. Several players are making their first trip outside Africa. The squad plays three group-stage matches over the opening three days before a final day of cross-games, an award ceremony and trophy presentation, and is expected to attend FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup matches being staged in Berlin during the same window.
Founded in 2003, Giants of Africa runs basketball court builds, camps, clinics and coaching programmes across the continent. Ujiri was named NBA Executive of the Year in 2013 and served as the architect of the Toronto Raptors' 2019 championship, and was recently appointed Team President and Alternate Governor of the Dallas Mavericks.
