African basketball's future will depend on institutions that can nurture and sustain talent, according to SEED Academy founder Amadou Gallo Fall. The rise of players such as Khaman Maluach reflects the contribution of coaches, teachers, families and development structures, he wrote.
Fall said the NBA and FIBA have helped expand opportunities and visibility for African basketball, but Africa must build on that foundation. Federations, governments, educational institutions and the private sector need to strengthen local structures, facilities, coaching and youth pathways.
SEED Academy, founded in Senegal in 2002, has helped nearly 720 young people through its programmes. Of its graduates, 84% have secured university places, six have reached NBA-affiliated leagues and 92% have graduated from university or secured employment. Mohamed Saer Sene, selected in the first round in 2006, and Gorgui Dieng, chosen in the first round in 2013, are among its alumni.
Fall also called for sustainable professional clubs connected to youth academies in Basketball Africa League cities. With the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games approaching, he said the event on African soil should be followed by investment in the systems that make excellence a lasting standard.
The Basketball Africa League has created a platform for African clubs, players, coaches and businesses, but Fall argued that the next frontier is a network of institutions able to identify and develop young people without requiring them to leave their communities.
