Photograph — Keith Allison

The NBA is easily the world’s biggest basketball league brand. Over the course of its 69 year history, the league has grown to become the world’s leading brand in the sport and has spawned a plethora of legendary sport icons and moments. On its own, it is already a very successful brand but like most, it is seeking to expand its appeal. The NBA Africa game proved that the NBA has got plans to attempt to grow the appeal of the league in Africa and leverage the passion of the continent’s avid sports fans. In the first-ever NBA Africa game, Team World triumphed over Team Africa with a final score of 101-97 at Ellis Park in Johannesburg but that game could mark the start of NBA’s rapid acceleration of the growing the sport in Africa.

Humble beginnings

Despite opening its first offices in Africa in 2010, the NBA began holding events in Africa since 1993. In the past, the NBA has been actively involved in Africa with NBA Cares, its global community outreach initiative. One of the NBA Cares programmes is the BasketBall Without Borders tournament- a global basketball development programme which has helped spread popularity of the game across African communities. So far, there have been 12 editions of the BasketBall Without Borders tournament held in Africa. Continuing its growth, earlier this year, the NBA also announced the launch of an NBA Junior Academy in Maputo, Mozanmbique. With similar NBA junior leagues running in Spain, Turkey and the UK, Africa has clearly come into the NBA’s focus.

Looking to the future

The NBA Africa Game ensured that the sport took the lead, at least for one weekend, over Africa’s first love: football. And over the years, it could prove to be a crucial point in the NBA’s attempts to globalize its sport and grow it in Africa. Interestingly, one of Africa’s biggest sports names Yaya Toure took to Twitter to voice his support for the NBA Africa game and suggested a similar Premier League initiative.

NBA  Africa

NBA Africa 2

Given the success of the NBA Africa Game and its healthy track record on the continent over the years, it appears the NBA will be taking the next leap. That next leap could see Africa host regular season games featuring the world’s biggest basketball names and faces. While this may have been thought to be a fantasy five years ago, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver’s recent comments suggest it could happen soon.  “We would want a larger, more modern arena for a regular or pre-season game here,” he said. “These things just take time, but I’m very confident that in the not-too-distant future we will be playing, to begin with, a pre-season game on the continent of Africa,” Silver confirmed.

Since Hakeem Olajuwon was drafted in 1984, over 35 Africans have played in the NBA. If the NBA pulls off its ambitious plans for growth in Africa, that number could easily double over the next decade. Regardless, with the NBA Africa Game this weekend, the NBA scored a great point. Actually…make that three.

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