The NBA has shut its only elite training academy in Africa, a facility launched in Senegal in 2018 to develop promising players for professional leagues abroad. Two former employees said the decision to close NBA Academy Africa has shaken students and young prospects across the continent.
Michel Chikwanine, who had been the academy's performance and lifestyle adviser, said the news landed hard on the young players. "From the moment we told them, their confidence waned, their confidence dropped," he said. Michael Abbott, former head of academic planning, added: "They weren't invested in them as kids as much as they were invested in the business model."
NBA Academy Africa trained about 110 students since its launch, according to Abbott, with many moving on to elite schools and universities in the US. Cameroonian Ulrich Kamka Chomche became the first graduate drafted into the NBA in 2024, joining the Toronto Raptors, while South Sudan's Khaman Maluach plays for the Phoenix Suns.
The NBA said the closure reflects a shift in global basketball development strategy, pointing to previously closed academies in Mexico and Australia. All training will now be run from a new global academy due to open in Abu Dhabi, the league said, with African prospects required to compete globally for spots there.
Chikwanine criticised the move, saying the NBA's approach reinforced a message felt by many Africans. "They come in with an extraction mindset," he said. Troy Justice, NBA senior vice president, said the league was "incredibly proud" of the academy's impact and pointed to the Basketball Africa League, now past six seasons, and Basketball Without Borders as evidence of continued investment on the continent.
