NBA Africa and Quest Water Global unveiled a new basketball court in Cercle Onatra, Kinshasa, on Sept. 29, marking the start of a multiyear collaboration to build or renovate 55 full-size and 3-on-3 courts across the Democratic Republic of the Congo by 2030. The project honours Dikembe Mutombo, the late four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year and Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer who served as the NBA's first global ambassador after retiring from the league in 2009.
Quest Water Global will serve as the league's Official Infrastructure Development Partner in the DRC, supporting NBA Africa's commitment to build or renovate 1,000 courts across the continent over the next decade. The Kinshasa court, where Mutombo began his basketball journey with Basketball Club Onatra, features his iconic No. 55 jersey number at centre court. NBA Africa hosted a Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA clinic for 80 local coaches to mark the unveiling.
A second court will be unveiled in Mutombo's hometown of Mbuji-Mayi in the coming weeks. "My hope is that this court, and many more to come, will help inspire future generations to embrace these values, pursue education, and discover the opportunities the game can create," said Rose Mutombo.
NBA Africa CEO Clare Akamanzi said the collaboration would expand access to basketball across a country that holds a special place in the history of the game because of Mutombo's enduring legacy. Mutombo, selected fourth overall in the 1991 NBA Draft, spent 18 years in the NBA and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015.
