NBA don close di only basketball academy wey dem get for Africa, e end one eight-year programme for Senegal and dem don carry dia player development work go one new global centre for Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Di league confirm say dis decision na part of bigger restructuring of dia international academy operations, afta di 2025 closures of dia academies for Australia and Mexico.
NBA Academy Africa start for 2018 to find and develop young players wey get promise across di continent. From di time e open, e train like 110 students, and plenti of dem don comot go elite schools and universities for United States. Di programme still produce players wey reach NBA: Cameroon own Ulrich Kamka Chomche, wey Toronto Raptors draft for 2024, and South Sudan own Khaman Maluach, wey join Phoenix Suns.
Di Senegal facility go dey replaced by NBA Global Academy for Abu Dhabi, wey di league announce earlier this year as one year-round training and academic base for top high-school-age players from UAE, di wider Middle East and oda regions.
Even with di closure, NBA talk say dem no dey reduce dia presence for Africa. Programmes like Basketball Africa League and Basketball Without Borders go still dey run for di continent. "We dey very proud of di impact wey NBA Academy Africa don get and we still dey committed to develop di next generation of African players," Troy Justice, NBA senior vice president, tell Reuters.
