By Jessica Donati
DAKAR, Oct 1 (Reuters) - The NBA has closed its only elite training academy in Africa, current and former officials told Reuters, less than a decade after it was launched in Senegal to prepare promising young African players for professional leagues in the US and elsewhere.
The decision to close NBA Academy Africa, the league's first such facility in Africa, was a blow to students and young players across the continent, two former employees said.
Michel Chikwanine, who had been the
academy's performance and lifestyle adviser, said the news discouraged African players just beginning to build confidence.
"From the moment we told them, their confidence waned, their confidence dropped," he said.
Michael Abbott, former head of academic planning at the academy, said it showed a lack of commitment to the students.
“They weren't invested in them as kids as much as they were invested in the business model," he said.
In response to questions from Reuters, the NBA said the decision reflected a shift in global basketball development strategy. It has previously closed academies in Mexico and Australia. All training will be run out of a new global academy to open soon in the United Arab Emirates' Abu Dhabi, it said.
In its statement, the NBA added that it is continuing to invest in African talent through other programs and that closing the academy does not signal a diminished commitment to the continent.
It cited examples such as the creation of a Basketball Africa League which has concluded six seasons and Basketball Without Borders, which organizes elite training camps for youths worldwide including in Africa.
SUCCESS AND THEN CLOSURE
NBA Academy Africa has trained around 110 students since launching in Senegal in 2018, Abbott said, with many moving on to elite schools and universities in the US. The most successful students were drafted to the NBA.
Graduate Ulrich Kamka Chomche of Cameroon became the first player to be drafted into the NBA in 2024 and played for the Toronto Raptors. Former academy student Khaman Maluach of South Sudan plays for the Phoenix Suns.
Chikwanine, the performance adviser, said closing the academy will limit opportunities for African players, who often come from challenging backgrounds and need specific support. All African prospects will have to compete globally for spots in the UAE.
He said the NBA's decision reinforced a message felt by many Africans that big companies come to the continent claiming to want to invest in people, but in reality, just want to make money.
"They come in with an extraction mindset," he said. "That has always been a reality on the continent of Africa… there is a huge mistrust that has been built."
The NBA denied that closing the academy would limit opportunities for young African players. It said hosting all young players at a single location would give them greater exposure to professional coaches and scouts worldwide.
“We’re incredibly proud of the impact that NBA Academy Africa has had and remain committed to developing the next generation of African players,” Troy Justice, NBA senior vice president, said in a statement, adding that several other youth development initiatives still operate on the continent.
(Reporting by Jessica Donati; Editing by Robbie Corey-Boulet and Andrew Cawthorne)
