When Cameroonian-born basketball superstar Joel Embiid, who plays for the Philadelphia 76ers, won the NBA’s KIA Most Valuable Player award for the 2022-2023 season, it was a monumental achievement rooted in his participation at the Basketball Without Borders Africa (BWB Africa) camp in 2011.
Embiid was one of the teenage prospects at the camp, and just three years later, he was drafted as the 3rd overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft. His journey from the streets of Yaoundé to the NBA’s grandest stage is a testament to the impact of BWB Africa. Today, Embiid is a key player on the U.S. basketball team at the Paris Olympics, competing for the gold medal.
Embiid’s success story is just one of many that have emerged from BWB Africa. For the past 20 years, this global collaboration between the NBA and the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) has been dedicated to developing high-school-age basketball prospects across Africa. The camp has consistently produced incredible talents from across the continent.
Since its inception, BWB Africa has hosted over 1,600 African boys and girls in camps held in South Africa, Senegal, and Egypt. These young athletes, representing around 40 countries, have gone on to play professional basketball at various levels. In addition to Joel Embiid, notable alumni include Pascal Siakam and Ulrich Chomche, both Cameroonians who have made their mark in the NBA.
Thirteen former BWB Africa campers have either played or are currently playing in the NBA. Among them is Khaman Maluach, a South Sudanese player who was named BWB Africa 2023’s Most Valuable Player. Maluach made history by representing South Sudan at the Paris 2024 Olympics, where the team achieved a historic victory over Puerto Rico.
Additionally, 63 former BWB Africa campers have competed in the Basketball Africa League (BAL), a top-tier championship established by NBA Africa to further develop professional basketball on the continent.
BWB Africa’s impact spans the entire continent, bringing together teenage basketball prospects from East to West, and South to North.
These young athletes live together in a single camp, interact, and hone their skills under the guidance of world-class coaches and players from the NBA and WNBA. They also receive leadership training, with all expenses covered by NBA Africa and its partners.
One of the most significant achievements of BWB Africa 2024, which marked the camp’s 20th edition, was bringing together 60 boys and girls from 24 countries for a four-day camp at the American International School of Johannesburg (AISJ).
The camp featured top NBA coaches, including Toronto Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic, Boston Celtics assistant coach Sam Cassell, and Orlando Magic assistant coach Jesse Mermuys, all of whom were on hand to impart their knowledge and skills to the campers.
Nigerian former NBA player and current Atlanta Hawks assistant coach Ekpe Udoh, along with Atlanta Hawks player Bruno Fernando, coached the boys’ winning team, the Hawks, at BWB Africa 2024. Meanwhile, Ikenna Smart, a Nigerian and Portland Trail Blazers assistant video coordinator, led the girls’ winning team, the Aces.
Egyptian youngsters Mohamed Wael Shahin and Haya Elhalawany were named the overall Kim Bohuny Most Valuable Players of the BWB Africa 2024 camp for boys and girls, respectively. Nigerian players David Ugonna Ike and Chidalu David Ajala also received honours, winning the Most Valuable Defensive Player and BJ Johnson Award for Most Improved Player, respectively. These names, and many others from the BWB Africa 2024 camp, may one day become household names in the NBA.
By Mohammed Abdullahi, Johannesburg
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