NBA swag swings into South Africa with Basketball Africa League

When the Basketball Africa League (BAL) was launched at a luncheon in Charlotte, North Carolina, US, in 2019, Michael Jordan was in attendance. 

It is important to note, because getting Michael Jordan to attend anything that doesn’t involve one of his sponsors is virtually impossible. But the NBA, which established the BAL, in collaboration with the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), wanted to show just how serious it was about this tournament for Africa, so it brought out the sport’s biggest star. 

Heading into its fourth season, the BAL has quickly established a footprint in Africa. The NBA has long viewed the continent as a hotbed of talent, with Joel Embiid’s recognition as Most Valuable Player last year further underlining the impact Africa is having on one of the US’s biggest sports leagues. 

Florsheim “Flosh” Ngwenya, who is part of the coaching staff of the Cape Town Tigers, could feel the NBA’s impact during his team’s run in last year’s BAL.

“It was very evident from the beginning,” said Ngwenya, who also doubles as the coach of the SA national team. “It was the organisation of the competition — it was high-calibre, well run. The communication was clear. Teams had enough time to prepare.

“We have been able to play against some historic and traditional old basketball powerhouses, particularly from the North.”

All three winners of the BAL are from that region: Zamalek, who won the inaugural tournament in 2021, and last year’s winners Al Ahly hail from the famous sporting institutions in Egypt and in between US Monastir of Tunisia claimed the other title.

The BAL is not solely about unearthing uncut gems across Africa — though as Ngwenya, points out, that’s an important part.

“This competition is televised on ESPN, so it gives players the platform now to be seen not just in Africa but internationally — so you don’t have to send videos to overseas teams. Even international players are coming here to play in our teams.”

The Tigers, South Africa’s sole representative in the 12-team event, will be playing in the competition for the third time and Ngwenya hopes the team can ride the increasing popularity of the sport in the country, when they play at the SunBet Arena in Tshwane next week.

“Nobody would have thought that something this big would be hosted right here, so we really want to put our best foot forward for our home fans,” said Ngwenya. 

The SunBet Arena will host the Kalahari Conference, one of the three conferences in which the 12 teams are divided. Besides, the Tigers, Petro de Luanda of Angola, Dynamo of Burundi and FUS Rabat of Morocco will be battling it out for one of the four playoff spots.

Ngwenya is optimistic about what the opportunity to host one of the BAL conferences will provide for the sport in South Africa.

“The NBA could be anywhere on the continent but they chose to base their head office [for Africa] right here in Sandton, so clearly they see something. It really is up to us as South Africans to figure out how we leverage that.”

There is no shortage of enthusiasm for the sport in SA, he said.

“The game is huge in the country, but it lacks visibility, sponsorship and organisation. In every high school I go to, it is the No 1 sport in terms of participation.”

A wider culture has sprouted around the sport, Ngwenya said.

“There’s the sport itself, but it also speaks to a lifestyle: the clothes the kids wear, the music they listen to. There’s a vibe about it.

“It’s not as long as cricket, for example, you don’t need a whole day. It’s a high-speed game, there’s movement, the ‘swag’ as the kids call it. There is so much to love about it. If there is more visibility, if sponsors could get involved, corporate SA, that would help the game.

“Right now we are in-between, and by that I mean I believe we can grow [to be bigger] than netball. It’s played by both male and female, young and old, every kid wants to play the game. It’s not an expensive game to play — you don’t need any special gear.

“Once it gets the injection it needs, I think it will be well up there.”

The fourth season of the BAL kicks off on March 9 at the Sunbet Arena, with the Tigers facing the Dynamo.