Chiney Ogwumike, Nigerian American basketball star, two-time WNBA All-Star, and ESPN analyst has been named the first-ever female Basketball Africa League (BAL) Ambassador.

The historic announcement was made by BAL President Amadou Gallo Fall during the NBA Africa All-Star Luncheon at NBA All-Star Weekend 2025 in San Francisco, USA.

Ogwumike, whose parents hail from Nigeria’s Delta State, is widely recognized for her contributions to basketball both on and off the court. She has been a strong advocate for gender equity in sports and continues to use her platform to inspire and empower young African athletes.

In her new role as BAL Ambassador, Ogwumike will focus on initiatives that engage and uplift women and girls across Africa, hosting basketball clinics and mentoring the next generation of female athletes. She will also play a key role in BAL events, beginning with the Kalahari Conference in Rabat, Morocco, on April 5, 2025.

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Ogwumike joins an elite list of BAL Ambassadors, including African basketball legends Joakim Noah (Cameroon), Luol Deng (South Sudan), Ian Mahinmi (Benin), and Pops Mensah-Bonsu (Ghana), further strengthening BAL’s commitment to growing basketball across the continent.

“As a proud Nigerian, I am honored to be named the first female BAL Ambassador. Basketball has given me so much, and I look forward to giving back, inspiring young women, and helping to elevate the game across Africa,” said Ogwumike.

Her appointment is a milestone for women’s basketball in Africa, highlighting the BAL’s continued investment in diversity, inclusion, and youth empowerment. Since its launch, the Basketball Africa League (BAL) has been a driving force for basketball development across the continent, providing world-class opportunities for African players to compete on a global stage.

With Ogwumike’s leadership and advocacy, the league aims to expand its impact, particularly for young girls and women in sports.

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha is the Aviation Correspondent at BusinessDay Media Limited, publishers of BusinessDay Newspapers. She is also the Deputy Editor, BusinessDay Weekender Magazine, the Saturday Weekend edition of BusinessDay. She holds a BSC in Mass Communication from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a Masters degree in Marketing at the University of Lagos. As the lead writer on the aviation desk, Ifeoma is responsible and in charge of the three weekly aviation and travel pages in BusinessDay and BDSunday. She also overseas and edits all pages of BusinessDay Saturday Weekender. She has written various investigative, features and news stories in aviation and business related issues and has been severally nominated for award in the category of Aviation Writer of the Year by the Nigeria Media Nite-Out awards; one of the Nigeria’s most prestigious media awards ceremonies. Ifeoma is a one-time winner of the prestigious Nigeria Media Merit Award under the 'Aviation Writer of the Year' Category. She is the 2025 Eloy Award winner under the Print Media Journalist category. She has undergone several journalism trainings by various prestigious organisations. Ifeoma is also a fellow of the Female Reporters Leadership Fellowship of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism.

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