Africa-Press – Rwanda. Africa could become the next home for American basketball superstars in the near future as National Basketball Association (NBA) considers hosting some preseason games in Africa for the first time.
Basketball Africa League (BAL) president Amadou Gallo Fall has said that they are closer to reaching an agreement with the National Basketball Association (NBA) over the possibility of bringing the preseason on the African continent.
The talks are initially centered around having two NBA teams face off on the continent.
“This was always part of the plan,” said Fall, speaking at the BAL Combine event in Paris.
“Those African games that were hosted before, the crowds were just incredible. I know this is going to happen, and it is in the pipeline,” he added.
According to sources, it is not decided yet when or where the first pre-season game could take place, although it could be as soon as the 2024 preseason.
The location of the game would likely be at a venue already hosting BAL games.
“There are definitely plans to bring two actual NBA teams to the African continent, and of course we will find plans to build BAL activations into that,” BAL vice president John Manyo-Plange said, in an interview with ESPN.
Rwanda stands a chance
With experience of hosting the BAL twice (2021 and 2022) as well as Afrobasket 2021, Rwanda is one of the countries that have the capacity to host such games.
Meanwhile, the NBA already has a footprint in Africa, partnering with the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) on the BAL, which is set to begin its third season on March 11. It also has regional offices in Cairo, Johannesburg, Lagos (Nigeria) and Dakar (Senegal).
The NBA will host its second regular-season game in Paris on Thursday, with the Chicago Bulls facing off the Detroit Pistons at the Accor Arena.
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