Six African basketball players took centre stage in Nairobi last week as part of BAL Advance: Next Play, the Basketball Africa League’s athlete entrepreneurship programme run in collaboration with Afreximbank. The initiative supports current and former African basketball players in building ventures beyond the game.
Over eight weeks, 35 athletes attended weekly workshops and one-on-one coaching to develop and refine their business ideas. Six participants, Pol Mas (Kenya), Joan Mochiruku (Uganda), Derrick Ogechi (Kenya), James Mwangi (Kenya), Reem Moussa (Egypt) and Liam Reid (South Africa), were selected for a two-day immersion in Nairobi that ended with the Athlete Entrepreneur Showcase on September 30.
At the showcase, each athlete pitched their venture to investors, foundations and basketball industry leaders. Participants received real-time feedback from industry experts and also visited Hoopspire Academy and Food 4 Education in Nairobi.
NBA Africa CEO Clare Akamanzi said the programme helps athletes prepare for opportunities on and off the court. BAL Social Responsibility and Player Programme Lead Marie Laurence Archambault noted that this year’s edition had expanded beyond former BAL players and BAL for Her participants to include players from national teams and local leagues.
