Nigerian duo Samson Mashebinu and Iyowoicho Onoja have been drafted into NBA Academy Africa to compete in the inaugural NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2025. The pair were part of Petro de Luanda's squad that finished as runners-up at this year's Basketball Africa League, taking part in the BAL Elevate program.
The first NBA Academy showcase tipped off in the UAE on Saturday, September 27, bringing together top international prospects from Africa, Australia, France and the United States for an elite tournament at NYU Abu Dhabi. Four youth academies competed: NBA Academy Africa (Senegal), Centre of Excellence (Australia), INSEP (France) and IMG Academy Ascender Elite (U.S.).
The three-day event precedes The NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2025 presented by ADQ, which will see the New York Knicks and the Philadelphia 76ers play pre-season games on Thursday, October 2 and Saturday, October 4 at Etihad Arena on Yas Island.
NBA Academy Africa sides include some of the top future prospects from around the world, playing exhibition matches in front of NCAA coaches and NBA scouts. Since the inaugural NBA Abu Dhabi Games in 2022, basketball participation has grown 25 percent across the Middle East and more than 50 percent in the UAE, with Abu Dhabi recording growth above 400 percent over the same period.
