The BAL is fast approaching, with in its luggage a little novelty called “BAL Elevate”. The African league developed with the support of the NBA was inspired by the “Next Stars” program set up in the Australian championship in order to also honor the most promising players from the African continent.
From the “NBA Academy Africa” based in Saly in Senegal, 12 hopeful players will be attached to the 12 teams involved for the next season of the BAL, which begins this Saturday. This will be an opportunity for them to rub shoulders with the next level and thus accelerate their development process.
The “NBA Academy Africa” has also proven itself as it has already sent 19 athletes to the NCAA men’s and women’s first divisions since its creation in 2017. The BAL will now be a new way to highlight these young talents.
“We believe that ‘BAL Elevate’ will be immensely valuable to the 12 BAL teams and to the young players of the ‘NBA Academy Africa’ who are ready to contribute at the professional level alongside the best players on the continent”said the president of the BAL, Amadou Gallo Fall. “There is a natural synergy between the BAL and the NBA Academy Africa, and this program will provide another avenue for elite African prospects to reach their potential as players and as men.”
Here are the 12 players concerned, their countries of origin and the teams in which they will play
Sahara Conference
- AS Salé (Morocco): Nadir Bennis (from Rabat – Morocco)
- CFV (Beira – Mozambique): Reuben Abuchi Chinyelu (Enugu Agade – Nigeria)
- DUC (Dakar – Senegal): Babacar Sane (from Bignona – Senegal)
- REG (Kigali – Rwanda): Joy Ighovodja (d’Abeokuta – Nigeria)
- SLAC (Conakry – Guinea): Serigne Saliou Mbaye (from Thiès – Senegal)
- US Monastir (Tunisia): Charles Loic Onana Awana (from Yaoundé – Cameroon)
Nile Conference
- Cape Town Tigers (South Africa): Matar Diop (from Dakar – Senegal)
- Cobra Sport (Juba – South Sudan): Khaman Madit Maluach (from Rumbek – South Sudan)
- Espoir Fukash (Kinshasa – RD Congo): Emmanuel Eberechukwu Okorafor (d’Abia State – Nigeria)
- FAP (Yaoundé – Cameroun): Ulrich Kamka Chomche (de Bafang – Cameroun)
- Petro from Luanda (Angola): Thierry Serge Darlan (from Bangui – Central African Republic)
- Zamalek (Egypt): Khadim Rassoul Mboup (from Dakar – Senegal).
The first meeting of the 2022 season of the BAL will pit Dakar Université Club (DUC) against Seydou Legacy Athlétique Club (SLAC) this Saturday at 5:30 p.m.
