NBA closes sole Africa training academy in blow to young players

What the report says

The NBA has shut down its only elite training academy in Africa, ending NBA Academy Africa in Senegal less than a decade after it opened to develop promising young players for professional basketball opportunities in the United States and beyond. The move affects students and prospects from across the continent and was described by former academy staff as discouraging for athletes who were still building confidence and support networks.

According to Reuters’ reporting published by Al Jazeera, the NBA said the closure is part of a broader shift in its global development strategy. It also said training will be consolidated at a new global academy due to open in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. The league has previously closed academies in Mexico and Australia as it retools its international pipeline.

The NBA said it remains committed to African basketball through other programmes, including the Basketball Africa League and Basketball Without Borders camps. Former academy personnel argued the decision could reduce opportunities for African players, many of whom come from challenging backgrounds and benefit from targeted academic and lifestyle support.

NBA Academy Africa opened in 2018 and has produced players who moved on to U.S. schools and, in some cases, the NBA. Among them are Cameroonian Ulrich Chomche and South Sudanese Khaman Maluach, both cited in the report as examples of the academy’s reach and impact.