NBA Africa to build 100 basketball courts in Kenya as it seeks to grow the game

The 100 basketball courts planned for Kenya are part of a commitment to build 1,000 courts in Africa over the next decade.

NBA Africa will partner with Opportunity International, a global nonprofit organization, to build courts and hold a development program for coaches and teachers in Nairobi, Kenya, and Kigali, Rwanda.

NBA Africa is an affiliate of the National Basketball Association (NBA).

The NBA Africa and Opportunity International collaboration will see the organisations hold a development program for coaches and teachers in both cities aimed at providing them with skills and best practices in coaching, refereeing, game operations, event management, program administration, and more.

The announcement was made by NBA Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer Mark Tatum, Opportunity International CEO Atul Tandon and five-time NBA champion Derek Fisher at a press conference in Nairobi.

“Our collaboration with Opportunity International reflects our commitment to investing in local basketball ecosystems across Africa and providing youth with the resources and opportunities to develop their leadership and basketball skills,” said Tatum.

“We look forward to working together to create safe spaces where Kenyan and Rwandan youth can play the game and participate in programs that help develop the next generation of coaches and mentors.”

“We are thrilled to work with NBA Africa to bring world-class basketball courts and coaches to Africa,” said Tandon.

“This initiative is key to our longstanding commitment to bringing more education and more opportunities to the youth of Africa, and we are grateful to NBA Africa, NBA Deputy Commissioner Tatum, and our longtime friend and partner Sam Garvin for coming together to help build a rising Africa.”

The Jr. NBA, the league’s global youth basketball participation program for boys and girls, teaches the fundamental skills as well as the core values of the game at the grassroots level in an effort to help grow and improve the youth basketball experience for players, coaches and parents. Last year, Jr. NBA programming directly reached more than 170,000 youth across Africa.