Johannesburg — Joel Embiid (Africa 2011), Pascal Siakam (Africa 2012) and Ulrich Chomche, (57th overall 2024 NBA draft pick).
When you hear these names, you probably think NBA, the Philadelphia 76ers and chants of "MVP" ringing out from the fans.
In the case of the 2016 1st round draft pick Siakam, he's an NBA champion with the Toronto Raptors, as well as a two-time NBA All-Star.
However, few people think Fiba, NBA Africa or Basketball Without Borders.
Fewer, still, think Basketball Without Borders - Africa; yet this was the starting point for the illustrious careers of the aforementioned superstars.
Consider Basketball Without Borders (BWB) as the early morning rays leading to a beautiful, sunny day filled with opportunities just waiting to be taken.
While we now see Siakam as an NBA champion and Embiid as an MVP -- and a possible Olympic gold medalist if the United States can contain World Champions Germany -- 12-13 years ago, they were just two kids at a camp hoping to learn and impress enough to get a shot at their dream of playing professional basketball.
That camp was the BWB Africa.
Twenty years later, BWB Africa is back to where it all began: Johannesburg, South Africa.
This year's edition provides a chance for 60 boys and girls from across the continent to reach out for a similar dream as 127 former campers who went on to play in the NBA or WNBA.
In fact, 63 former BWB Africa campers have also played on Basketball Africa League (BAL) team rosters in the last 4 years.
Kenya represented
Kenya's Valentine Korir (MPesa Foundation) and Nissi Mayaka (Vikapu Elite Basketball Academy) join 28 other girls at the 2024 BWB Africa camp in Johannesburg, to get valuable experience and lessons from a host of NBA and WNBA coaches and players.
Toronto Raptors Head Coach Darko Rajaković, Sam Cassell (Assistant Coach of 2024 NBA Champions Boston Celtics), former WNBA Player Sylvia Fowles, Angolan Bruno Fernando (Atlanta Hawks), and NBA Champion Moses Moody (Golden State Warriors) are some of the headline names.
Moses Moody believes that if there is a gap between African players and their American counterparts, it is to the advantage of the former.
"I don't think there's a gap at all. If anything, there's a gap between us and them given the athleticism and physical traits which you can't teach, that are through the roof in those areas," the 2022 NBA Champion says.
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He adds: "The only thing is, it depends on how long you've been playing basketball, there's just a feel and a touch that just comes with time...if they've been able to play basketball for a long time, and with the physical capabilities of the players that I've played with, they are a lot of times ahead of the pack."
The bigger picture
Speaking at the same time, NBA Africa CEO Clare Akamanzi says the programme is more than just producing future basketball stars but also enhancing equality and equity in the society.
"Today we have 50 per cent representation of women; for me, representation is extremely important just like anything that requires minority participants to grow. This programme gives them the platform to be represented and showing that it's possible. For example, the Nigeria Olympics women's team is representation, and that shows these girls that it is possible," Akamanzi says.
The CEO further says the presence of a star-studded cast of NBA players, coaches and legends at the camp goes a long way in inspiring the female players to follow their dreams.
"Being able to bring WNBA coaches and players, connecting the girls with these role models is part of what we are doing to show the girls it is possible and they too can aspire to do the same," she said.
There have been 75 BWB camps in 50 cities across 33 countries in the world -- that's more than 4400 participants from 142 countries (since 2001).
You get a sense that perhaps we are catching a glimpse of Africa's contribution to the future of basketball.
