NBA Africa and Quest Water Global go build or renovate 55 full-size and 3-on-3 basketball courts across di Democratic Republic of Congo before 2030, di two organisations announce. Di project dey support NBA Africa promise to build or fix 1,000 courts for di whole continent for di next ten years, as Quest Water Global don dey named di league Official Infrastructure Development Partner for di country.
Di collaboration dey honour Dikembe Mutombo, di four-time NBA Defensive Player of di Year and Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer wey become NBA first global ambassador afta e retire for 2009. Dem unveil di first court for Cercle Onatra for Kinshasa, di arena where Mutombo start im playing career with Basketball Club Onatra before e move go United States. Di playing surface carry im No. 55 for centre court and dem plan say e go host thousands of young people every year. Dem hold one 80-coach Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA clinic to mark di opening, and dem dey expect say second court go land for Mutombo hometown of Mbuji-Mayi for di next weeks.
"Dikembe believe say basketball na powerful tool to teach young people discipline, teamwork, resilience, leadership, and service to others," na so Rose Mutombo tok. NBA Africa CEO Clare Akamanzi say di partnership go expand access to di sport for one country wey "hold special place for di history of our game" because of Mutombo legacy. Quest Water Global CEO John Balanko call di collaboration one reflection of "our shared belief say healthy, thriving communities need more than one thing."
