Basketball Without Borders Africa took place in Midrand recently, with 80 boys and girls participating in on-court skills stations and games, as they learnt from current and former NBA and WNBA players and coaches.
BWB also involved Miami Heat center and two-time NBA All-Star Bam Adebayo and 2011 NBA champion Ian Mahinmi visiting the NBA Store and engaging with fans at Sandton City in Johannesburg. The players signed autographs, answered fan questions and held a brief shootaround session.
Shortly after, NBA Africa unveiled four newly-renovated basketball courts in Alexandra as part of BWB Africa’s community outreach and the league’s efforts to make the game more accessible across the continent. The court unveiling was followed by a Jr. NBA clinic for 150 boys and girls from the local community, which was facilitated by the current and former NBA and WNBA coaches and players.
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More basketball activities continued the day after, with Cleveland Cavaliers head coach J.B. Bickerstaff and 2018 Coach of the Year Dwane Casey hosting a FIBA coaches clinic at the American International School in Midrand.
The camp concluded with championship games and the BWB Africa 2023 awards.
Following the final games of the four-day camp, veteran NBA coach David Joerger and former NBA player Tacko Fall’s Aces were crowned the BWB Africa 2023 Girls champions while Casey and 2022 NBA champion Jonathan Kuminga’s Pistons were crowned the BWB Africa 2023 Boys champions.
The camp concluded with the awards ceremony, with Egypt’s Aisha Hassan and South Sudan’s Khaman Maluach (NBA Academy Africa) named the Kim Bohuny BWB Africa 2023 Most Valuable Players (MVP). The Patrick Baumann Sportsmanship Award went to Mozambique’s Shanaia Matusse and Chad’s Mahamat Tahir, while Rwanda’s Jane Dusabe was recognized with the B.J. Johnson BWB Africa 2023 Most Improved Player award.
